Chasing the Darkness
by gothmiko
Summary: Vash has been back and Knives is still in a coma. When Vash decides to make a move on Meryl, she goes and becomes a werecat. Now Meryl has to control her insticts with Milly's help. That and Wolfwood's giving Vash love advice. What could go wrong? Finish
1. Gift or Curse

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I love the anime Trigun so much! I usually write Inuyasha so; this is my first time with a Trigun fic, so constructive criticism is welcomed. I'm sorry if I make the characters OOC. I'm going to keep Wolfwood alive because he lived in the Magna series.

I don't own Trigun

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Chasing the Darkness

Chapter 1: Gift or Curse

"Talking"

'Thoughts or Mind Talk'

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

**Stressed Words**

It was another hot day that passed by with nothing but boredom. A girl with short black hair wiped her forehead off as she wiped the counter off of any dirt or germs. She let out an annoyed huff as she threw away any of the remaining beer bottles. She smiled to herself when she let thoughts of a nice cold shower enter her head. She closed her eyes and listened the gentle breeze that would occasionally blow by and cool her body. She opened her gray-purple eyes when she felt someone watching her. She began to wipe the tables when she spotted someone in the corner.

She continued to wipe down the tables while trying to catch a glimpse of the person in the shadows. She continued to move closer until she threw the rag in the back and walked over to the table. She could tell the figure had his eyes closed, but not asleep. She then gasped when she saw aqua eyes stare at her before grinning.

"What do you want Vash?" She asked with an annoyed tone.

"What can you offer ...insurance girl?" Vash asked with a glint in his eyes.

"Anything on the menu, broom head," She answered.

"What if I want something that's not on the menu?" Vash suggestively asked.

"Then your at the wrong bar," Meryl dryly said.

"You know I need this!" He whined as he tapped his fingers against the table.

"If you want doughnuts go to the bakery! We don't have 'em here!" Meryl angrily growled as she got up and walked behind the bar.

"But it's across the street and I don't want to walk that far," he said with a pleading look in his eyes.

"I'm at work and I can't afford to lose this job!" She harshly whispered.

"But..."

"No, buts! I have to earn money to buy those doughnuts," She interrupted. Meryl sighed as she went back to cleaning the bar with the ignored dishrag. She could feel Vash's pouting gaze on her as she cleaned. She refused to acknowledge his childish antics at her job.

'Stupid womanizing, skirting chasing, broom headed, sensitive, cry baby,' Meryl growled in her head as she thought of every insult.

"Is there a Meryl Stryfe here?" A silky voice asked as the door creaked. She looked up at the man that asked and instantly melted under his gaze. All thoughts of Vash left her mind now that this man was paying attention to her. His dark green eyes captured her gray-violet, and his long brown hair glittered in the dim light.

"That's me," Meryl answered while appearing uninterested.

"Hi, my name is Jesse Melton and I've been searching for you," Jesse said causing Vash to spit out his beer in mid drink. Meryl looked over at him and gave him a confused look before she smiled at Jesse.

"Am I in trouble Mr. Melton?" Meryl asked as she went over to Vash so she could wipe the table down again.

"No, it's just that I admire your courage for the line of work you do, and I would like to have the chance to date a fine prize as such as yourself," Mr. Melton explained. By now Vash had dropped his bottle and it shattered against the now clean, now dirty again table. Vash put on his sunglasses in an attempt to hide the emotions his eyes expressed.

"I am not some object to be owned or won. I still have work with Vash the Stampede to complete also," Meryl said.

'This idiot's going to get the beating of his life,' Vash cockily thought to himself.

"Please call me Jesse, and I respect your dealings with that vicious outlaw, but please allow me the chance to give you some escape with a date," Jesse sincerely said. Meryl could feel the smirk radiating off of Vash and decided to shock him.

"I accept your date Jesse," Meryl thankfully said. That's when Vash fell out of his chair and hit the floor.

"Can I see you after work?" He asked trying to tempt fate.

"Sure, I live at the house at the end of this street, pick me up at seven," Meryl said as she gave a dazzling smile. Jesse walked up to her and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek before he smiled and walked away. Meryl smiled and touched her cheek as she watched him walk away. She sighed and turned around only to run into a solid chest. She looked up to see Vash with no smile on his face and his sunglasses covering his eyes. She stepped back and went to walk around him only to have him block her way.

"What do you think you're doing?" Vash asked as he picked her up and placed her on the bar.

"While, I was trying to walk," She sarcastically said.

"Don't play dumb with me Meryl," He managed to growl.

"Don't play jealous boyfriend with me," She growled back shocked that he used her name.

"How can you go on a date with a guy that say's he's searching for you?" Vash unbelievingly asked.

"Easy. Guy asks me out, I say yes," Meryl explained.

"He's a stranger!" He yelled. Meryl rolled her eyes and reached out to take off his glasses. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from removing his only protection from her eyes.

"**Why**?" She angrily asked.

"Why what?" He asked trying to play dumb.

"Why do you try and chase off every guy that comes for me?" Meryl whispered as she let tears fill her eyes. His grip loosened and she tore off his glasses and threw them to the floor.

"..."

"Fine, if you don't talk then I walk," Meryl said as she pushed him away from her. As she started to jump off the counter he grabbed her and crushed her body to him. She couldn't stop the tears that now ran freely down her cheeks as tried to pull away.

"I do it because I care," Vash whispered to her.

"Sometimes caring is not enough," She emotionlessly said as hugged him back.

"It could be," He pleaded.

"No, it's not and I need more. I can't wait forever," Meryl said as she was released from the embrace and walked behind the bar.

"Fine, I won't allow you to go," He stated as he looked over at her with a smug look.

"I will always ...care for you, but I want to be loved," Meryl said.

"Fine," Vash plainly said.

"Fine," Meryl said back as she closed the lights.

"Fine," Vash shot back.

"Whatever," Meryl said with a sigh. She then pushed him out the doors and locked everything up.

Vash growled as they walked down the street and towards the house they lived in. It was a two-bedroom house with one bathroom and a small kitchen. It had a decent dining room and a small front room with two love seats and wooden chair. Silence just made the tension around them get worse by the second. When they made it home Meryl opened the door and Vash slammed it shut. Meryl jumped and screamed when it fell off its hinges. Vash just ran up the stairs for his life and jumped into his room and locked the door. Milly walked into the kitchen and smiled at Meryl who was throwing away an ashtray.

"Hello Meryl," Milly happily greeted.

"Hello Milly, where's Wolfwood?" Meryl asked.

"He went to get me more pudding," Milly said with stars in her eyes.

"I have a date so ..."

"I'm so happy! So, where is Mr. Vash taking you?" Milly excitedly asked. Meryl blushed and sighed and heard something drop upstairs.

"I'm going out with someone name Jesse Melton," Meryl explained.

"What about Mr. Vash?" Milly sadly asked.

"Milly, I will always love him, but I ... I can't wait forever," Meryl sadly said with a sorrowful smile.

"Oh. Just be home before ten," Milly said. Meryl smiled before she walked upstairs and went to her room to change.

Meryl took off her beige bar uniform and frowned when she saw that her tattoo of the cat's paw on her shoulder still was on her left shoulder. She shuddered when she touched it and remembered that it wasn't a tattoo, but a mark that was always with her. She walked over to her closet and grabbed a pair of tights and a red sweater. She quickly put on the black tights and put on the red sweater. The sweater came down to her thighs covering her butt. She walked downstairs and grabbed a few double dollars out of her purse and stuck it into the pocket of her tights before she opened the door and stepped outside.

"So, you're really going?" Vash asked as he gazed at the stars.

"Vash, I'm just going to go to the bakery," Meryl said with an annoyed sigh.

"Meryl!" Jesse yelled as he ran up to her.

"Hey, Jesse," Meryl greeted. Jesse looked over at Vash and wondered whom he was.

"Who's this man?" Jesse asked gesturing towards Vash.

"This is Vash," Meryl said.

"The outlaw?" Jesse asked.

"Yep," Meryl answered.

"Does he live with you?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't you kill him for the bounty?"

"Vash happens to be the best man I know!" Meryl yelled. "Besides, none should kill for a pathetic thing such as money!"

"Sorry," Jesse said. Vash rolled his eyes and watched Meryl leave with this guy he didn't like.

Meryl and Jesse now sat underneath the black blanket of the sky with only the moonlight and stars to watch them. They had picked up a few doughnuts and chose to eat them outside since there was no wind blowing at the moment. Meryl had a box of a dozen doughnuts for Vash. She got them because she knew Vash would be upset for some unknown reason. She and Jesse sat on a bench and looked up at the sky with the doughnuts watching them. They just looked up at the stars in a silence that was comfortable.

"What type of work do you do?" Meryl asked, bored with the idea of sitting in the dark.

"I'm a hunter, so I wander Gunsmoke," Jesse answered.

"What type of hunter?" Meryl warily asked. Jesse sighed and ran a hand throw his hair.

"Meryl," Jesse seriously said as he turned to gaze at her.

"Yes?" She asked not knowing why the relaxing mood turned serious.

"I've been watching you and I know that you love Vash," Jesse stated as he turned to face her. Meryl's face turned pure red in embarrassment and she realized what her date had just said.

"I ... what I mean is ... shit," she stuttered.

"I know that Vash is a plant and you are only human."

"How do **you** know?" Meryl suspiciously asked.

"I lived at the SEEDS ship crash site with the rest of the humans that chose to stay," he answered. "We all know about the plants and what they truly are."

"So, what does this have to do with me?" Meryl asked.

"What if I could make you immortal?" Jesse asked.

"Why me? What have I done to deserve any gift like that?" She asked with this skeptical look on her face.

"I didn't say that it was a gift, and like everything it comes with a price," he continued.

"So what is it? A curse? Some unknown disease?" Meryl asked.

"Some people call it disease, and others are sure it is a curse," he cryptically answered.

"What do you call it?" She asked before she could stop herself.

"I would say it's my curse, but for you it could be used for love."

Meryl sighed and looked at the stars before she looked out into the distance. She thought about what this would mean if it were a curse. The thought of being immortal tempted her more then anything else on this planet. She would be able to live a life with Vash, even if it would be at the expense of a price.

"What do you want for this curse?" Meryl asked. Jesse smirked knowing that he had gotten the attention of this woman.

"I would tell you three rules and ask for three things," Jesse said as he smiled at her.

"What?" She anxiously asked.

"I will only tell you the information if you agree," he stated.

'This is a big risk. I'll do this for you Vash,' she thought as she shook the man's hand in agreement.

"The first thing I ask of you is that you let me see your left shoulder." Meryl rolled her eyes and showed him the scar or birthmark that had been with her all her life.

"The second thing I ask of you is that you never taste human blood, or else you will be eternally damned."

"Why..."

"The third thing I ask of you is that you do what I am doing now before you do."

"What are the three rules?" She asked as she had now had been intrigued.

"The first rule of the clan is that you never kill without reason, the second rule is that you remain loyal to your mate until death do you part, and the third rule is that you don't make an unworthy one of us," Jesse explained.

"What do you mean, one of us?" She asked as she scooted closer.

"That mark on your left shoulder signifies that you have the spirit of the Marozi in you," Jesse simply explained.

"What do you mean Marozi?" Meryl asked more confused then ever.

"I mean that with this gift you will be a skin changer," he explained.

"What do I do to awaken myself?" Meryl asked with a look of determination.

"I am going to be killed, your blood is already tainted. All you have to do is awaken it tonight underneath the full moon skyclad," Jesse explained. Meryl nodded her understanding before she stood with the doughnuts.

"It will hurt at first, but don't fear because you will still be you. You will learn many things my daughter," Jesse said before he disappeared into the night. Meryl watched as what looked like a giant cat ran into the desert.

'Great, if Milly, Wolfwood, or Vash see me naked in the middle of the desert moon bathing they'll think I'm nuts. It'll be my luck that Knives would choose to wake up this time,' Meryl thought as she continued home.

Meryl stared at the house wondering why all the lights were off. She walked up to the door and knew that Milly was probably sleeping with Wolfwood across from her. She knew knives was still comatose and figured that Vash was up there with him. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She set the box of doughnuts on the table and walked over to the fridge where she grabbed the magnetic sticky pad and pen. She placed it on the table and dropped the pen. She heard it clink and got on her hand and knees as she searched for the missing pen.

"Found you!" She excitedly whispered in triumph. She stood up and set the pen on the table and glared at it as if that would make it stop rolling. She gasped and whipped around when she saw a hand cover the pen. She had a derringer already in the face of the man that was behind her. She smiled and relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Hi," Vash greeted with a nervous smile.

"Damn it Vash, don't sneak up like that," Meryl scolded as she put her gun on the table.

"It's eleven! Milly told you to be home at ten," Vash said ignoring the scold.

"I'm an adult, I can be home at anytime I please," Meryl said as put the notepad back.

"Where's your date? Did he leave you out there alone?" Vash worriedly asked.

"My date left, and yes we parted early because I needed to be alone," Meryl explained.

"That's a rude date," he mumbled. Meryl frowned at his constant nagging and figured that she could tell him her feelings once this curse was put into effect.

"I'm going to go to upstairs," Meryl said as she began to walk up the stairs.

"Are you going to come back down?" He asked.

"No, I'm going to go take a bath and read," Meryl said as she left. She left Vash downstairs and ran into the bathroom.

She smiled when she saw her nightshirt still hanging up behind the door. She took off her clothes and sat at the edge of the tub. She just ran enough water for Vash to believe that she was going to have girly time alone. She lit a few candles and closed the lights and made sure she locked the doors. She wrapped a small robe around her figure before she opened the window. She quickly glanced around and saw that Vash was not star gazing tonight. Meryl grabbed a gutter and began to carefully slide down, hoping not to alert Vash.

She started to lose her grip and fell the rest of the way. A cloud of sand surrounded her and she started to cough and heard a creak. She quickly got up and started to run towards the outskirts of town. She ran and could feel the moonlight on her skin and so without even thinking she began to shed her robe.

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Meryl's P.O.V

I could feel my body begin to boil and the cool air caused my mind to run free once it caressed my hot skin. My blood began to boil and I fell to the ground in pain as I felt the bones in body rearrange with each snap and pop. I groaned in pain as my knees pop backwards and my feet grow longer. I clenched the ground in my hands and was shocked to see long, deep gashes in the sand. My fingers became longer and my nails were missing from my sight. My screams turned to growls as my mouth became longer and took on the shape of a lioness'. I felt my tailbone rip from my back and come to the point it wrapped around my leg once. That's when I felt it. My ears rang in pain when they began to move up towards my head. They became rounder and took on more of a golden color. I watched as the golden fur sprouted and covered my body. I admired the dark brown hollow spots that covered my back and stomach.

I tried to stand but fell to the ground again when I felt my muscles twitch. I couldn't help but stare in a disgusted horror as my muscles started to reshape and become toned. My thighs became harder and more defined as did my muscles on my arms. I feel back in what I believed was exhaustion; it turned out I wasn't tired at all. I looked down and saw that my breasts were covered in a thick layer of white fur and were firmer. I studied feet and saw that they were a little thicker and the nails were a nice thick ivory that stuck out about a half inch.

I held my hand out in front of my face and grinned as much as I could. My nails were now concealed inside my fingers like a cat's. I leaned forward and stood on feet and paws and sniffed the air. I could smell Vash from this far away. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds, I could hear ants underneath and hidden water running freely. I opened my eyes and the darkness turned to a green. I smirked when I thought about it.

'I have night vision.'

I reached behind me and grabbed my tail, which seemed to have a mind of its own. It was soft yet firm. It had a darker color fur on the ends of it. I looked up at the moon and released the first of many roars.

I was no longer Meryl 'Derringer' Stryfe.

I am a skinwalker.

That was until I looked at my shadow and only word entered my head.

Monster.

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Please Review, I want to know what everyone thought. Even if you have one word please leave it

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	2. Decisions

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I don't know if I should continue this or not. If there are people who really enjoy this Fic, then I'll write for you!

I don't own Trigun

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"All People Want Someone to Listen"-Hugh Elliot

Decisions

"Talking"

'Thinking or Mind Talk'

**Stressed Word**

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

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The sand was warm as a body snuggled into it trying to block the breeze that came with the morning. The wind softly caressed the body's skin sending sand into the body's hair. The figure stretched and yawned and lazily opened her eyes and rolled over onto her stomach. She pushed herself up and stretched with a smile as she bathed her body in the warm light. Once she became fully aware of her surroundings her face paled and she began to sprint towards the scent of her robe. She quickly dressed in her robe once she reached it and got dressed.

"MERYL!" Vash yelled as he stood on their gazing cliff.

Meryl froze when she thought she was found out, but look over to see Vash on the cliff looking for her. She quickly sprinted to the house and quietly made it inside. Without thinking she ran upstairs and threw open the door to her room. She ran straight into Milly's chest and fell onto her back. Meryl's eyes widen she realized her friend was about to give away her location. Meryl quickly jumped onto her feet and covered Milly's mouth with her hand.

"Don't yell Milly," Meryl desperately pleaded. Milly gave her a confused look before she firmly nodded.

"Why?" Milly whispered. Meryl grabbed Milly's hand and dragged her into the bathroom.

"I have a secret and I need to tell you when it's safe," Meryl said. Milly nodded.

"Does this have to do with that long golden tail that's attached to you?" She innocently asked. Meryl's face paled before she felt the tail rub against her leg. Meryl nodded and growled in frustration.

"I'll tell you when we're alone, but don't tell **anyone** about my tail or this," Meryl said.

"You can trust me," Milly said with a smile. Meryl thankfully nodded before they both took off running towards the room. When they made it Meryl quickly got dressed. She noticed that her nails were longer and that she needed a hole for her tail to go through. Once that was done with she tied her tail around her waist like it was a belt. She then noticed her fangs were shaper and that she had grown two inches. She looked at her appearance in a mirror and could honestly say that she liked the way she looked. Her skin had taken on a light tan appearance and her eyes had more violet than gray in them.

"Can you tell that it's a tail?" Meryl nervously asked. Milly looked thoughtful before she shook her head no.

"Mr. Vash is coming!" Milly said as she heard the doors open.

"What should I tell him?" Meryl asked.

"Tell him that you had to go for a jog," Milly said.

"WOLFWOOD! Did you find her?" Vash yelled through the house.

"NO!" Wolfwood yelled back.

"Damn it!" Vash growled.

"Wow, Vash seems more scared than angry," Meryl said.

"You can feel his emotions?" Milly asked.

"No ... I can smell them and him. He smells ... delicious," Meryl said as she purred in her throat. Milly tapped Meryl on the shoulder and Meryl's clouded eyes had gone back to normal.

"Are you okay?" Milly asked.

"Yeah, I guess I better go down," Meryl sighed.

* * *

"Where the hell did she go?" Vash growled as he slammed his hands on the table. Wolfwood just stared as the table cracked in half and fell. He let the smoke leave his lips as he gave Vash a look of boredom.

"You know she's going to be pissed," Wolfwood said as he nodded towards the table.

"For all we know she's not coming back," Vash whined.

"We'll find her," Wolfwood calmly said.

"I found her bathroom window open and it looked like she ran off into the night," Vash said.

"Doesn't seem like her style," Wolfwood said as he took another drag on his cigarette. Vash nodded in agreement before he looked down at the table and scratched his head nervously. He then looked toward the stairs when he heard what sounded like two pairs of descending footsteps. Wolfwood looked over to see both Milly and Meryl coming down the stairs. When they reached the bottom Meryl nervously waved hi and walked over to the fridge.

"Where the hell have you been?" Vash yelled. Meryl bristled at the fact that he yelled at her.

"I went out for a jog," She said with a huff. Wolfwood grabbed Milly by the arm and dragged her out of the war zone.

"Why the hell did you climb out the window? And without any clothes?" He demanded to know.

"I didn't want to be questioned," She growled. Vash swore he saw her pupils narrow, and her growl sounded almost animalistic.

"Are you feeling okay?" Vash asked while looking her over.

"I'm fine," She quickly said as she picked up the coffee creamer.

He walked behind her and watched as she took out a small glass and poured the cream into it. He then watched her close her eyes down the cream in one gulp. She then pushed the glass into the sink and began to down the carton. Vash continued to watch in amazement as she downed a pint of cream. She set the pint down and smiled at Vash when she licked the cream away from her lip. He raised his eyebrow in confusion as he she walked away.

'Is it just me or does she seem more cat like?' He thought to himself. She stopped walking and sniffed the air. She turned around and stared at Vash. He froze and watched as she stalked him.

"Meryl?" Vash asked.

"I ... Milly and I need to go out," Meryl said as she turned around and left.

"MILLY!" Meryl yelled as she ran up the stairs to find a decent outfit.

"Yes Meryl?" Milly yelled back.

"We need to go to town," Meryl said.

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"What's wrong with short stuff?" Wolfwood asked as he walked back into the kitchen.

"I don't know," Vash said as he took a bite out of a doughnut.

"Is it that time of the month?" Wolfwood asked.

"I HEARD THAT!" Meryl yelled.

"Damn her hearings gotten better," Wolfwood, mumbled. Vash nodded.

"Where do you think she went?" Vash asked.

"I don't know, you've known her longer," Wolfwood said.

"But she doesn't disappear into the night," Vash complained.

"Maybe she has a guy," Wolfwood suggested with a shrug. Vash choose to remain silent about that comment.

"She doesn't have time for a guy," Vash mumbled as he stuck two doughnuts in his mouth.

"She can't wait forever, and from what I saw, that Jesse guy ain't hard on the eyes," Wolfwood said as he flicked his cigarette butt out the window.

"What am I supposed to do? Go upstairs, pin her to the wall and whisper kiss me bitch?" He sarcastically asked.

"Whatever loads your .45," Wolfwood said as he grabbed an apple.

Vash frowned and sat down at the table with his doughnuts. He began to chew each doughnut. Wolfwood watched his strange behavior before he rolled his eyes and left the kitchen again. Vash looked up at Wolfwood to see he was leaving.

"Where ya' going?" He whined.

"I'm going for a drink," Wolfwood said.

"But I need help," He whined. Wolfwood raised an eyebrow before he sighed.

"What makes you think I'll help?" Wolfwood asked.

"PLEASE! I'll do anything!" Vash whined.

"So, if I get short stuff with you, you'll owe me one," Wolfwood mused.

"This doesn't seem to good," Vash mumbled.

Wolfwood hesitated before he said, "Deal."

* * *

Meryl and Milly now were on the outskirts of the tone with targets lined up against a broken house. Meryl had taken off her cape and untied her now stiff tail. Meryl let her tail swing casually as she aimed her derringer at a can. She cussed under her breath when her nail would not allow her to pull the trigger. Milly set her stun gun down and watched as Meryl bit her nails off. Meryl then smirked in triumph as she shot and hit her target dead on.

"Meryl," Milly softly said.

"Yes Milly?" Meryl softly asked.

"Your tail has a gun," Milly said as she pointed down. Meryl gave her a confused look before she looked down to see her tail holding a derringer. Meryl's sweat dropped as she yanked the derringer out of her tail's grasp. After practicing for another hour the girls decided to stop and sit down.

"You said we needed to go into town," Milly began.

"No, I just wanted to ... talk I guess," Meryl said as she fiddled with her tail.

"Okay," Milly said. Meryl laughed as she lay back in the sand.

"You're so easy to talk to," Meryl said.

"My big sister used to say that 'if you listen you'll be as wise as the planet is old'," Milly said.

"I guess that's true," Meryl said with a thoughtful look.

"How did you get that tail?" Milly asked as she tried to catch the flicking object.

"I guess you can say that I met my father, and he just showed me what I truly was," Meryl said. Milly for once gave Meryl a dry look.

"Fine, that Jesse guy said I was a skinwalker and that I had the spirit of the Marozi in me."

"You mean that pretty cat?" Milly excitedly said.

"Yeah, and now I can change into that."

"So you're like a werewolf?"

"No, I still have my mind when I change and I can tell who people are."

"That's amazing Meryl. You're sort of like Vash, not human."

"No, I'm human just a different kind now."

"Do you get anything besides a tail?"

"I can smell people's emotions, and my nose is sensitive. I can also see in the dark. My strength has increased, and I can run faster and hear very good."

"What else can you do?"

"I can jump high. My balance is a lot better, but there are rules."

"Really? What are they?"

"First, I can't kill without reason, second, I can't make an unworthy Marozi, third, I have to remain loyal to mate until death, and fourth, I can't taste human blood when I'm in my cat skin."

"Is that all?"

"Not sure, I also think there are more," Meryl, said with a pensive expression.

"Like what?" Milly asked.

"You know like I've ... had ... um ..."

"You don't have to say it," Milly said.

"Thanks. He smells good, and I feel all these things inside me trying to get to him," Meryl explained as she picked up some sand and let it fall into the wind.

"Do you think you have animal instincts?" Milly asked. Meryl's face turned red as she thought of the type of instinct she had. She sighed, thankful that Milly missed the oblivious.

'Guess I'll be humping Vash's leg, like a dog in heat,' Meryl thought with distaste.

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Please review

I enjoyed writing this chapter and I'll write more soon.

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	3. Part 1: The Rules of Love

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I don't own Trigun ... but one day the evil monkeys in my closet will

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Part 1: Rules of Love

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed** **Words**

_Dreams_ _or_ _Flashbacks_

* * *

Meryl sat on the edge of a cliff that overlooked town. She sighed as she gazed at the stars thinking about how simple life would be if she were a star or moon. She couldn't help but lightly chuckle that her instincts would drive her towards Vash. She just hoped she would jump him in his own room.

'That's all I need ... make him think I'm a slut,' Meryl thought with a growl.

'Would I mind being his slut?' She asked herself with a purr.

'Even my own mind betrays me,' She pitifully thought with another sigh.

"What should I do?" She whispered to the stars. She just watched as they twinkled back at her, remaining silent to her question. She knew that she would just receive a cold sparkle and an empty comfort that she liked. She sat back and sighed.

"So.... On the first evening a pebble...From somewhere out of nowhere drops upon the dreaming world..." She softly sang letting her voice carry on the wind.

"So... On the second celestial evening...All the children of the pebble join hands and compose a waltz..." another voice softly finished from behind her. She gasped as she turned around to see Vash walking towards her. She smiled at him, trying to keep calm, but on the inside she was chaos.

"Hey," Vash said as he sat down next to her.

'What the hell are you doing here?' Her mind screamed.

"Hey Vash," Meryl calmly opted for.

* * *

30 Minutes Earlier

Wolfwood and Vash sat a good distance away as they watched Meryl gaze at the stars. Vash nervously chewed on his lower lip as he heard her sigh.

"Are you going?" Wolfwood asked as he pushed his dead cigarette into the ground.

"Are you sure this will work?" Vash asked.

"Trust me. Women love their hair to be touched," Wolfwood assured.

"She'll hit me," Vash whined.

"Rule 1, don't compare her to any other past women. Rule 2, make eye contact with her and don't look away quickly. Rule 3, touch her in **appropriate** places shyly and be yourself," Wolfwood listed as he lit up another smoke.

"If she kills me then the deals off," Vash warned with a huff. Wolfwood shrugged indifferently and watched as the needle head went to his girl. When Vash was far enough Wolfwood stood up and left.

* * *

Back With Meryl

"Where'd you learn that song?" Vash asked.

"I've always had it with me," she truthfully said.

"Why are you out here?" Vash asked as he gazed into her eyes. Meryl softly smiled before she looked back up at the stairs.

"I was thinking about how easy life would be if I was a star," Meryl said as she sighed. Vash moved his hand lightly across her hand as he set his on his knee.

"Why did you come?" Meryl asked.

"I wanted to see if you were fine," Vash said. Meryl lightly blushed at his statement and smiled.

'Could he ...'

"Thank you for your concern," Meryl happily whispered.

"Truthfully, I was thinking about myself," Meryl said.

"Why, there's nothing wrong with you?" Vash sincerely asked.

"It's just that I'm changing," Meryl explained as she looked over at Vash. She frowned when she smelled that he was upset.

"Do you have to change? I like you the way you are already," he honestly said.

"Change happens whether one wants it or not," Meryl said as she stood up. Vash gave a funny look as he got up and stood next to her. He tilted her head up and smirked when her eyes widened. He leaned down and whispered so her lips could feel his hot breath.

"If you **ever** need **anything** I'll be by your side no matter what."

She watched as Vash then straightened and began to walk back to the house. She blushed then smiled as she thought about his words. She then his footsteps in the sand as she followed him back. She could see that he longer strides as she slowly took her strides away from her thinking area. She stared at her nails and contemplated that with this change she would have to adjust and put it to good use. Meryl looked towards Vash's back and smiled.

'Before there can be us, I have to house train me. No matter what you always help me realize things,' Meryl thought as she walked away.

Meryl walked into the house and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed the last doughnut before she walked upstairs. As she chewed, she could tell that the door that led to Vash and Knives' room was opened. She opened her own door and saw Milly curled up in bed. She quietly chuckled when she Wolfwood's cross punisher being used like a pillow. She dropped her cape and quickly dressed in her nightshirt. She pushed her sleeves up and wiggled into bed and softly began to sing herself to sleep.

"So.... On the first evening a pebble...From somewhere out of nowhere drops upon the dreaming world..."

* * *

Meryl's Dream

_She ran through the night with no boundaries or chains to stop her. She looked up at the moon and let its ivory light guide her. She prowled the lands and watched the shadow in the distance as it gazed up at the stars. She stalked closer to the shadow letting her tail flick in excitement. She stopped when she saw that the shadow was wearing red. She was entranced by the shadow's tall form. Meryl licked her lips in anticipation when she caught the scent of the form. Closing her eyes she purred in her throat when she put names to the scent._

_Gun smoke, the outdoors, and the sweet scent of sweat._

_She let her paws lead her closer. She saw the blonde hair and decided to see how close she could get without alerting her prey. She crouched low and stopped walking when she saw her prey look behind his shoulder. Her pupils dilated when his aqua gaze met her gaze unintentionally. He looked back towards the sky causing her to laugh inside her head. She let her body shift to the point of where she was almost humanoid. She could tell she now had her mouth back, but her body was not human._

_"Vash," Meryl whispered causing him to crouch and turn towards her direction. She smirked when she smelt confusion in his alluring scent. She stood up and began to walk towards him, her tail swishing in the sand._

_"Meryl? What are you doing here?" He asked as he stood. His eyes widened when he saw Meryl's form._

_"I was looking for some ... fun," she played coy._

_"Why do you look ... different?" Vash asked._

_She lightly laughed and walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His cheeks started to turn red and Meryl smirked more. She leaded towards him and licked his cheek. He gasped and she rubbed her cheek against his neck. She then used one of her claws to trail from his ear to his lips. She then pressed her body closer to his and listened to his gasp._

_"I know what you want Vash," Meryl seductively whispered in his ear._

_"Meryl ... I"_

_"Your body tells me it wants more," she whispered._

_"Please ..."_

_"I know you want it. Your body tells me it's craving. I can feed that craving."_

_"But ..."_

_"There is no but," Meryl whispered as she kissed his chin. Vash tried to pull away._

_"You taste so pure. Tell me to stop if you don't want me," Meryl whispered as she kissed him again and transformed into her human form. When Vash opened his eyes he saw a very naked Meryl._

_"You're naked!!!" Vash squeaked._

_"Is_ _that_ _a_ _problem?"_

_"Meryl!!! We can't do this here!!!" Vash said._

_"Shut up and kiss me you pervert," Meryl growled._

_Meryl jumped onto Vash causing him to loose balance and fall on the ground. Meryl then pressed her mouth to his and kissed him hungrily. Vash eventually relaxed and kissed her back. Meryl then ripped off his red jacket and shirt. She smiled when she saw his scared chest with the metal plate. She could smell Vash's uneasiness and decided to show him how much she loved his body. She dipped her head and began to kiss one of the scars on his stomach. She smiled when she felt his stomach cave in and quiver under her tongue._

_"Vash," she whispered as she kissed near his metal plate. She was so close his plate that she now smelt the fear radiating off him in waves._

_'He fights criminals and deals with an insane twin, but he's self conscious of his scars.'_

_"Your body is," Meryl began as she rubbed her cheek against the plate she felt him stiffen, "wonderful. Each scar shows how beautiful your soul is."_

_"Meryl?"_

_She heard him sniffle and smelt the relief coming from his body._

_"Each scar is wonderful," She said as she began to trace his plate with her finger._

_"Meryl ... I"_

_"No more words," Meryl said as she kissed him._

End Dream

* * *

Vash quickly sat up in his bed. Sweat covered his entire body as he threw the sheets off him. He touched his lips and felt that he was burning up. The sweat turned cold against the openness of the air. He looked down and could see that memories of his dream were all that remained. He sighed and rested his head in his hands as he thought.

'It felt so real.'

'Could she ever feel that way towards me? She's human, I would out live her and be forced to watch her grow old and die. Could she want to be with something that constantly reminded her of what could have lasted forever? She'd probably end up hating me. I couldn't stand losing her while I could do nothing.'

'I would have to make every second count if I was to be her lover. I know every moment would be engraved into my memory.

"It may be selfish, but I want to be with you forever," Vash whispered into the night.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Meryl gasped as she sat up and fell off her bed. She struggled and ripped her sheets in half with her claws as she sat up on the floor.

"Are you alright Meryl?" Milly tiredly asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Meryl assured as she stood up. Milly quickly fell back to sleep. Meryl looked over to her back and frowned when she saw her bed. She could see her pillow was torn in half and her bed had deep gashes. Meryl rolled her eyes and fell back onto her bed, sending feathers flying everywhere.

'I definitely need to learn to control my instincts. I want to be with him, but I can't stay with him in this condition. I will tell him, but if I get to close I might not be able to control myself.'

Meryl stood up and walked towards the door and walked towards Vash's room. She laid her forehead against the door and sighed. Vash heard her sigh and froze as he looked up from his hands.

"Each scar is wonderful," he heard her whisper against the door.

'Was it a dream?' Vash asked himself.

'No, it was not a dream?' An angry voice answered.

"No more words," Meryl whispered as she pushed off and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

"Why chose now to wake?" Vash asked as he looked over at Knives.

"I sensed a change in energy," Knives hoarsely said.

"How do you feel?" Vash asked.

'How the hell do you think I feel?' Knives dryly asked.

"Crappy?" Vash asked.

'How long have I been asleep?' Knives asked.

"About two weeks," Vash answered.

'So, I've been living in area full of spiders for two weeks ... disgusting,' Knives mused.

"Knives, I made a promise that I intend to keep, but I will also live by my words," Vash began.

'Please, I don't want to know about your pathetic peace talks,' Knives replied.

"I can't force you to see my views," Vash said.

"Indeed, same goes for you brother,' Knives answered.

"I do need to chose between life and death."

'Whose playing god now?'

"Damn it Knives! I am trying to give you a chance to wake up and come out of your pod," Vash desperately said.

'I don't need to be naïve like you.'

"I shot you in the legs and in your right arm, and near your spine. You won't be able to walk or do any physical damage."

"Bastard."

"I'm going to make sure you get every chance," Vash promised.

'Lucky me.'

"Now what did you mean about the dream?" Vash asked.

"You stumbled into someone's dream," Knives vaguely answered as he closed his eyes.

"What do you mean stumbled?" Vash asked. Knives glared at the ceiling, but chose to answer in order to make his twin's life hell.

"Remember that you're not human, and over the past years you haven't trained your abilities," Knives said with a grin.

"Just fucking say what you mean," Vash growled.

"Your abilities are growing and you'll find that some of them will invade other's privacy," Knives said before he closed his eyes again and fell asleep.

* * *

Please review and I'll give out cookies (:::) 


	4. Part 2: Act Mature

* * *

Thanks for reviewing! (Authoress passes out cookies) I don't know when I should have Vash find out. I'm trying to think of when I should have him find out. 

I don't own Trigun or anything .... but COOKIES!!!

* * *

Part 2: Act Mature

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Dreams or Flashback_

* * *

Meryl and Milly now sat at the coffee table thinking of what they could do concerning Meryl's hormonal state when it came to Vash. Milly took another bite of pudding before she looked up at Meryl. Meryl sighed and rubbed her temples as she tried to think of something to do. She raised her cup to her mouth and took a gulp of coffee in hopes of waking herself up to her surroundings. Milly's eyes brightened and she stood up in excitement.

"I've got an idea Meryl!" She excitedly whispered.

"Shoot," Meryl said as she moved in closer to listen.

"I think that we might be able to train your other side," Milly explained.

"It's worth a try," Meryl said.

"My big sister used to say that 'whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve,'" Milly said with total faith.

"Say we can train it, the question is where," Meryl said as she banged her head on the table.

"Maybe if we go back to December after Mr. Knives isn't that psycho," Milly cheerfully suggested.

"That sounds cool, but until then I still need to train," Meryl said.

"You can train two or three days a week, and we can get Vash drunk," Milly happily answered.

"That's a good idea, but what about Wolfwood?" Meryl asked.

"You can take Mr. Priest with you," Milly explained.

"WHAT?" Meryl yelled in disbelief.

"I think we can trust him to help us," Milly seriously said.

"Fine, but if he mentions one word to Vash. I will kill him ... even if he's your mate," Meryl growled.

"Please not kill," Milly pleaded.

"Fine, I'll only maim him," Meryl offered.

"Deal," Milly joyfully agreed.

"I'll go buy some liquor and we'll begin tonight," Meryl said as she rose from the table and walked out the door.

* * *

With Meryl

Meryl inhaled the morning air and froze when she smelt her favorite scent coming towards her. She frowned then smiled as she turned around and waived to the object of her desire.

"Hey Meryl! Where you going?" Vash asked as he began to walk with her.

"I'm just going to the store, Milly needs a few things," Meryl said as her tied up tail twitched frantically.

"Mind if I join you?" Vash politely asked remembering Wolfwood's advice.

"Yes! I mean ... if you want," She said as she scratched the back of her neck quickly.

"Which I do want to," Vash replied back.

'Why is he acting so different?' Meryl thought to herself.

'Wolfwood better be right. He told me to act mature and it seems to shock her,' Vash thought.

"So, is there anything you want?" Meryl asked as they walked inside the shop.

"I'm fine, is there anything I can get you?" Vash asked with a smile.

"Vash, why the hell are you acting so ... so ...strange?" Meryl seriously asked.

"What?" He asked in disbelief.

"Where's the broom head that laughs and goes into a craze when he sees donuts?" Meryl demanded.

"I thought I would try and act serious for you," Vash mumbled as he twiddled his thumbs.

"Just be you," Meryl said as she hugged him and walked towards the liquor section. Vash couldn't help but watch her hips sway as she walked away. He then slapped himself and wondered why she was going into the liquor section. He watched as she put a bunch of hard liquor into her basket along with some Kuroneko beer.

"What's that for?" Vash asked.

"This is for Milly," Meryl answered quickly.

"You have enough liquor to get me drunk for a month straight," Vash honestly said.

'That's the idea,' Meryl thought as she rolled her eyes.

"You're lucky I don't force my way into your mind and find out what's in there," Vash said as he poked her in between the eyes.

"Should I castrate you now or later?" Meryl asked causing Vash to grab his crotch and run out of the shop making whimpering noises. Meryl purchased her liquor and went outside to see Vash in a corner whimpering like a beaten puppy.

"Come Vash," Meryl said and smiled when he ran up to catch up with her pace.

"What's the liquor for?" Vash pried again.

"I told you, it's for Milly," Meryl said with irritation in her voice.

"Can I have some?" Vash asked in a sweet tone.

"No," Meryl sternly said.

"Why not," Vash demanded like a child not getting his way.

"Because you can't hold your liquor," Meryl said as they made it closer to the house.

"That's not fair!" Vash pouted.

"Liquor is to expensive for you to drink and then just throw up," Meryl scolded.

* * *

Milly and Wolfwood

Milly watched as Meryl left the house and heard Vash yell for her. She smiled and lightly chuckled to herself. She took a bite of her pudding and happily hummed to herself. She could her the sound of footsteps and smelt the smoke of cigarette.

"Why are you so happy?" Wolfwood asked as he sat next to Milly and kissed her cheek.

"Just thinking," Milly truthfully said.

"You seem more happy than usual," Wolfwood said while giving Milly a look of suspicion.

"Meryl has a surprise that she needs to show you," Milly said.

"Really? What?" He asked as he lit up a cancer stick.

"She has to tell you, but ... you can't tell Vash," Milly playfully warned.

"Really," Wolfwood mused.

"Really," Milly agreed.

Wolfwood got out of his chair and walked behind Milly where he put his hands on her shoulders. Milly giggled again and Wolfwood smirked as he bent down and kissed her neck. He gently sucked on her neck and Milly gasped as he lightly bit her neck. He then tilted her head back and kissed her using her unshaven chin to tickle her nose. She laughed and he used that to deepen the kiss. She finally responded and noticed that Wolfwood moved his hands to her hips and pulled the chair back. She soon stood up with their lips still connected.

When Wolfwood was sure that Milly was pressed up against the table he pushed her making her fall onto the table. He then climbed on top of her and pushed off the jacket she was wearing. He grinned when all he saw was that she was wearing a white tank. He didn't expect her to flip the positions as roughly as she did. He was soon on his back with his black jacket ripped off and on the nearby stove. He noticed that there were buttons on the floor. He let his hands roam Milly's hair and push her closer to his lips. He finally heard her moan and then cuss when they heard Meryl scolding Vash. That's when they heard a weakening groan and crack. They both squealed when the heard the snap and felt the table break. Milly quickly jumped up and pushed Wolfwood into the other room. She then threw his jacket into the room and made her way to the bathroom.

"Shit," Wolfwood mumbled as he rubbed his back.

'Always getting into trouble when big girl's around,' he thought with a lazy grin.

"What the hell happened to the table?" Meryl yelled as she and Vash stared at the broken table.

"Damn," Wolfwood anxiously cussed as he made a dodge for the back door.

"Looks like we'll be eating in the living room," Vash mumbled.

"Shut up," Meryl said as she reached in her bag and opened a bottle of Vodka. She took a swig and then began to clean up the mess.

"Hey Meryl," Milly said as she came down the stairs.

"Hey Milly, do you know what happened?" Meryl asked while motioning to the table. Milly's face reddened and Vash snickered as he caught on. Meryl jabbed Vash in the ribs to shut him up. Meryl nodded and smiled at Milly in understanding.

"Do you mind checking on Knives?" Milly asked Meryl.

"I'll check on him," Vash said as he ran up the stairs towards Knives' room.

"We wouldn't Knives seeing your mind," Meryl said as she winked.

"Yeah, I guess," Milly, said while blushing,

"Is everything set for tonight?" Meryl asked.

"Yep, Nick has agreed to meet you on the cliff over looking the city," Milly happily said, forgetting her embarrassment.

"I'm going to go lay down, so I can stay up tonight," Meryl said as she disappeared out of sight. Milly smiled and sighed as she walked to the back of the house and stayed in the front room.

* * *

Knives and Vash

Vash knocked on the door to his brother's room and heard a growl when he remembered that his brother couldn't answer the door. Vash opened the door to see his brother sitting up and reading a book. He walked over and pulled a chair close to the bed and set down a glass of water and a bowl of fruit. Knives merely grunted a hello and flipped the page of his book. Vash tried to glance at the book and found he couldn't find a title.

"What are you reading?" Vash asked as he leaned back.

"The Inferno," Knives answered.

"Never heard of it," Vash mused.

"It's by Dante," Knives stated.

"Still never heard of it," Vash said as he scratched his head.

"What do you want?" Knives asked as closed his book.

"I was just checking up on you, and I brought you water," Vash replied with a smile. Knives rolled his eyes and scowled.

"I feel like crap and everything is still quite painful," Knives retorted.

"If you're going to be cross, I'll just leave you alone," Vash threatened.

"Well, how the hell should I feel? How would you feel if your twin shot you and then tried to change your outlook on life?" Knives asked. Vash snorted and laughed ironically

"Guess what! It feels like crap! I know because you did it to me, but guess again. You tried to kill me and you managed to kill everyone around me!" Vash said as he looked down at the floor. Knives looked thoughtful for a moment before he let a true frown cross his perfect face. He then cleared his throat and took a drink of water.

"What if I make deal with you," Knives said.

"What deal could you make that I possibly want to hear?" Vash asked.

"If I learn to cope with these **humans **you will allow me to teach you about your plant side and you will to accept being a plant," Knives offered.

"You can't kill anyone either," Vash said.

"Fine, if you want to take away all my fun," Knives dryly replied.

"You can't kill anyone I care about," Vash seriously said.

"Alright, but you can't expect me to go all 'love and peace' right away. If I'm attacked I will defend myself," Knives explained with a warning.

"Deal," Vash seriously said.

"Deal," Knives said as he shook Vash's hand and took another drink of water. Vash's eyes started to tear up and he soon jumped up and hugged his brother. His brother gasped in pain and soon Vash found himself on the floor with a huge lump on his head.

"When will the pain end?" He dejectedly asked.

"I'll start training you as soon as I get movement in my legs," Knives said as he picked up his book and began to read it again.

Vash walked out of the room and back down into the kitchen. He looked outside and noticed that it was already dusk. He picked out a donut and began to eat that out of boredom. He soon heard whispering and looked towards the front room to find no one there. He then returned his gaze towards the setting sun. He saw Wolfwood already outside on the porch and heard the insurance girls come through the back door. They both stopped when they saw him. Meryl nodded in her set determination towards Milly who had a determined expression.

Meryl walked over towards the bag on the counter and pulled out the beer. She set it on the tray, since the table was now broken. Vash looked at it and watched as Milly pulled out two glasses and set a deck of cards on the table.

"What's this for?" Vash asked.

"It's for you two," Meryl honestly answered. Vash looked at her in suspicion before he sat down on the floor.

"Really Meryl?" Milly asked, pretending to have no clue.

"Yeah, I figured you'd need a drink after all the work you've to done," Meryl said with a smile.

"What about Wolfwood?" Vash asked.

"He's a lazy bum that doesn't deserve it," Meryl growled. Vash smiled and hugged Meryl before he took a gulp of beer. Meryl smiled and went to sit outside. She watched as Wolfwood put out a cigarette against the porch. She walked over to him and smacked him on the head. He winced, but stood up and stretched.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Are ya' loaded?" Meryl asked.

"No," Wolfwood responded.

"Good, that means you have one gun," Meryl said as she began to walk towards the outskirts of town.

Wolfwood lit up another cigarette and couldn't help but notice Meryl had a pair of sandals on with kimono. The only thing she was missing was the obi. When they finally reached their destination the sun had already been down and Wolfwood was on his fifth cigarette. He stopped walking when he noticed that Meryl was no longer moving. She had slipped off her sandals and left them near Wolfwood. She then slipped off her kimono causing Wolfwood to swallow and choke on his cancer stick. She was left in a sports bra and boxers that she had stolen from Vash.

"Why the hell are you getting undressed?" Wolfwood sputtered in a rage.

"Listen Wolfwood," Meryl began seriously, "Milly has complete faith in you, and so what you see or learn about me must **not** be talked about especially Vash."

"What the hell? Are you some sort of monster?" Wolfwood joked. When he didn't hear any laughter back he noticed she had a look of dread. She looked away and then stared back at him with a serious look.

"Would you prefer the information first or the demonstration?" Meryl asked.

"Hit me with everything you got," Wolfwood said.

"Meryl let a devilish grin appear as she said, "You shoot and I'll bite."

Wolfwood sat back and soon dropped his cigarette when he saw what happened. Meryl's undergarments were stretched and torn as she stood there and watched his reaction.

"What the fuck are you?" Wolfwood asked as he prayed to god in his mind.

* * *

Thanks for reading!!! Please drop a review and I'll see what I can do. Updates might be slow because I'm building a Trigun and Inuyasha site. So sayonara and Love and Peace!!

* * *


	5. Part 3: The Purrfect Woman

* * *

I won't stop writing this story, but I do want reviews, they do motivate me to write.

So on with the story!!!

* * *

Part 3: The Purr-fect woman

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

* * *

Wolfwood could only stare at the thing in front of his eyes. He knew it was Meryl, but he couldn't believe that she was alive in this thing. She was crouched on the ground giving Wolfwood a view of what her backside and front side looked like. Meryl stood up and gazed into his eyes, and he almost gasped when he saw into her eyes. He could see that Meryl was still in there, but what he didn't understand is how she had a mouth. Her ears were atop her head and her tail was swishing in the sand.

"I am still Meryl, even if my body's changed," Meryl said as she still kept her distance from him.

"Like I said before, what the fuck are you?" He asked again. Meryl walked over to him but stopped when he unconsciously took a step back. She sighed and sat down letting her claws scratch at the sand. He walked closer to her and sat next to her. He looked at her ears and then gazed at the patterns in her fur. He knew that she wasn't faking this transformation. He cautiously reached out and touched her fur, just to reassure it was attached to her.

"I'm a werecat," Meryl said.

"How did you become one," Wolfwood asked.

"I accepted a curse so I could become immortal," Meryl explained.

"Was it for Vash?" Wolfwood asked with a grin.

"You obviously didn't show me so you could chat," Wolfwood said.

"I need to train, and Milly recommended you," Meryl said. Wolfwood looked thoughtful for a moment before he came up with an idea.

"What's wrong with the way you are. You seem to be fine with controlling everything," Wolfwood said.

"It's not that, it's that I have problems controlling the way I act when I'm around Vash," Meryl explained.

"I see," Wolfwood said with a grin.

"So I need some training," Meryl said.

"Fine, I'll help, but you'll owe me one," Wolfwood said with a plan forming in his mind.

"Fine," Meryl growled causing Wolfwood to back up.

"Sorry," Meryl mumbled as her tail twitched.

Wolfwood stood up and stretched. He walked around Meryl and took in her appearance wondering which type of training would suit her. He knew she needed to learn self-control and discipline. He just didn't know how much. He figured her control must be really low if she asked him for help. He picked up her paw like hand and studied her claws and then looked at her fangs.

"I think you should learn what type of things you can do, before I train you," Wolfwood said as he lit up another cigarette. Meryl stood up and then began to show Wolfwood what she was capable of. Wolfwood made a few suggestions and then the training was finally starting.

* * *

3 Weeks Later

Knives had finally managed walking with a cane and not needing any painkillers. Milly treated Knives like she treated anybody else, with a smile and good will. Meryl would occasionally get into arguments with Knives about how he would do noting but sit around and lecture her about how her cleaning methods were off. The arguments would end with her throwing a wet sponge at his head and him threatening to torment her. Vash would then come into the kitchen and carry Meryl out of the room before she strangled him.

Knives would enjoy bickering at the short spider; she wouldn't take his crap and would showed no hesitation when it came to defending her or the others. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was intrigued by the way Meryl would protect her if he decided to kill all humans. Knives then trained Vash even though he complained that he didn't want to hone any of skills. Knives was impressed with his brother's progress. Vash could heal his wounds in a smaller amount of time and reduce scaring. He was also able to make plants grow from land that was dead. Knives watched one morning as Vash grew a moonflower for Meryl from the desert ground. He was surprised to see the short spider hugging his twin. He could feel his brother's happiness; it was a feeling that warmed him to no end.

Wolfwood would leave Knives alone and stick to himself. Wolfwood noticed that Meryl was able to touch Vash and hug him without her instincts demanding to take him. Meryl would go for nightly runs because she was able to transform herself into a full Marzoi. She was bigger than male Marzoi and much stronger. Wolfwood would discuss Meryl's progress with Milly who would enjoy talking about what it would be like to be like Meryl. Wolfwood told Milly that Meryl's life would be lonely if her and Vash didn't get together. It was the afternoon and Meryl was outside sunbathing in her two-piece swim suite. Vash was working at the well; Milly was working at the nearby orphanage with Wolfwood that left Meryl and Knives alone at the house.

Meryl could sense Knives in the kitchen making him a cup of coffee. She could smell the crushed beans and hear the noise of the coffee pot. The only thing she couldn't feel was the heat that the pot was giving off. So, she closed her eyes and painted an image of the kitchen in her mind. With the noises Knives gave off she could find where he was at perfectly. She could her his breathing, the beating of his heart, and she could hear every little sound he made. She could hear the limp in his walk as he used the cane to balance his weight. She lightly chuckled to herself when she imagined him thinking himself higher when in such a weakened condition.

"Must you prance around in that skimpy thing?" Knives sneered as he looked down on her. Meryl sighed knowing that her peace was about to break.

"Must you keep staring?" Meryl asked.

"Your pathetic body has nothing I desire," Knives growled.

"So, you did look," Meryl assumed.

"Assume nothing spider!" Knives growled.

"You know ... some female spiders are known to eat the male," Meryl said as she rolled over so she could get some sun on her stomach.

"Just put some damn clothes on," he weakly finished. Meryl sat up and took off her sunglasses and stared at Knives. Knives stared right back into her eyes. His pupils widened when he realized her pupils were slits.

"Don't tell me what to do," she warned as she stood and stalked back into the house.

'Her eyes were not the normal type that humans had. They were slits, more primal. Is my twin's woman not human, or is she merely a defect, like that idiot Rem?' Knives wondered as he leaned against a wooden poll. He looked at the place she previously was at and noticed that there were claw marks in the sand.

"This is indeed interesting," Knives said as he walked back into the house wondering what this meant.

Meryl went straight to the bathroom and locked the door. She then stared into the mirror and noticed that her eyes had permanently turned into her alter form of jewel shape. She then growled and punched the mirror trying to make what was happening to her go away. She watched the glass shatter to the ground. She looked back up and saw that some parts of the mirror were now missing in chunks. She looked at her hands and thoughts continued to race in her head.

'I'm used to the claws and these fangs ... the tail was a bit much, but my eyes weren't supposed to change,' Meryl thought frantically. She heard the foot door close and cussed when she realized the mirror was in the wrong place. She then jumped when she heard a knock on the door. She sniffed the air and could smell Knives on the other side wanting to know what was going on. She heard another knock and dropped to her knees. She began to pick up the broken pieces and toss them into the wastebasket. She grabbed the wastebasket and threw open the door.

"What the hell are you doing in there?" Knives yelled trying to look past her.

"It's none of your business," she growled back.

"It is when I've got to go," Knives calmly said. Meryl made a silent 'o' and stepped outside the bathroom door.

"The mirror is broken," Meryl quickly said and ran off towards her room. Knives walked into the bathroom and looked at the mirror. He gave it a questioning glance before he went to the toilet.

* * *

Vash took three aspirins as he sat down in the shade. He woke up this morning feeling like Knives punched him. He took a bite out of his salmon sandwich and opened a bottle of water. His thoughts didn't wander far with the hangover affecting his mind. He did have to wonder why Meryl brought him liquor. He also wanted to know where she went at night. Knives had told him that she and the priest left the house and went far beyond his eyesight. Vash did wonder, he trusted Meryl and he did trust Wolfwood. It just made him curious at what they were doing.

"What is she doing?" Vash wondered out loud as he took another bite.

'I would also like to know as well, brother,' Knives said as he made his presence known to Vash as he mind talked.

'What do you mean?' Vash asked.

'Don't play coy Vash. Your insurance girl hasn't been displaying normal behavior,' Knives said.

'And you know normal behavior, how?' Vash dryly asked.

'Fine,' Knives growled as he cut the link.

'Even Knives noticed her behavior,' Vash thought as he stood back up to work. He shrugged and once more began to dig in the well.

* * *

"I wonder how Meryl's doing." Milly wondered as she helped a child reach a book.

"I'm sure she's fine," Wolfwood assured as he took a drag on his cigarette.

"Nick! Don't smoke at an orphanage!" Milly scolded as she put the cigarette out and grabbed the rest.

"Hey!" He shouted as he pouted in defeat at her glare.

"You'll get these back at the end of the day," Milly said as she put the pack in her jacket.

"But honey," he whined.

"Don't you honey me Nicholas D. Wolfwood," Milly scolded with a smile.

"Fine," he mumbled before he stalked off towards where the children were.

Milly happily smiled when she watched him get tackled by the children. He then watched as he chased the children around. She then noticed that one child was sitting alone in the shadows of the library. Milly frowned at that but then noticed why the little boy was alone. She gasped when she realized what he and her friend Meryl had in common. Milly then ran over to Wolfwood and whispered what she saw to him. Wolfwood nodded and looked over towards the child.

"Should we bring Meryl tomorrow?" Milly asked.

"If you think he has a connection, then yes," Wolfwood agreed as he went back to the children.

Milly smiled then went back to picking the mess up while thinking of what to do. She continued to have a feeling of worry coming over her as she picked up the mess. She looked over to where the little boy only to be shocked. He was gone and nowhere to be seen. Milly shrugged and made a note to make sure she found out his name and age.

* * *


	6. Part 4: Hold Me

* * *

This chapter and the next two are going to be used to draw the character's closer together. I know they're close, but I want to bring them all to a certain point. So on with the chapters.

* * *

Part 4: Hold Me 

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

* * *

Meryl could hear the Milly and Wolfwood come into the house. Knives bathroom break ended about two days ago. Milly was beginning to worry every since she met that boy in the library. Meryl had not once come out of her room. Vash had to sleep in the bedroom with a disgruntled Knives. Vash had threatened to come in and get her, but Meryl said she'd castrate him. Knives banged on the door and threatened to come in, Meryl growled at him, which caused him to walk away. Milly had lightly tapped on the door and pressed her ear to the door.

"What do you want Milly?" Meryl asked as she stared at the closed door.

"Meryl, why aren't you coming out?" Milly softly asked.

"I can't," Meryl said.

"Why not Meryl?" Milly asked as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Don't cry Milly, please don't cry," Meryl begged as she held back her own tears.

"Why don't you come out? Did I do bad?" Milly asked as she sniffed. Meryl gasped as she finally threw open the door and pulled Milly inside the room.

"You did nothing wrong Milly," Meryl assured as she looked into Milly's eyes.

"Then why?" Milly simply asked again.

"Look at my eyes and tell me what you see," Meryl said as she gazed into Milly's eyes. Milly stared into Meryl's eyes with a determined look on her face. Her face eased up and then went back to a determined set. Milly then gasped and smiled. She closed her eyes and pointed up at the ceiling.

"Do you have pink eye?" Milly asked. Meryl smacked herself in the face and sighed in hopelessness.

"Look at my pupils," Meryl said.

"What about them?" Milly asked.

"They've changed," Meryl hissed since she heard footsteps stop at her door.

"Nobody will notice," Milly tried to convince.

"You know Vash though ... he acts like an idiot, but he's aware," Meryl dejectedly said.

"Don't give up Meryl," Milly said with a determined look on her face.

* * *

The door opened to reveal a smoking Wolfwood looking down on them. Meryl growled and was about grab the cancer stick, but Milly had already dragged him out of the house by the ear. Meryl smiled and was about to stand up and stretch her tail when Vash walked into the room. He smiled nervously and waived to her before he sat next to her. His hands were behind his back as he leaned.

"Are you okay?" Vash asked. Her tail twitched nervously from underneath the blanket she had it covered.

"I'm fine," Meryl whispered back to him.

"I doubt that," he said as he sat up and hugged her to him. She gasped knowing that her tail was now free. She did the only thing that came to mind. She pushed Vash onto his back and lay on top of him. His eyes widened and he sucked in his breath when he gazed into her eyes. He now saw that something changed inside of her. He didn't know what, but he planned to find out.

"Vash," Meryl whispered as she lowered her mouth to his ear, "I need you to stay still."

"Why?" He weakly asked as he wrapped his arms around her. She softly started to purr when she was in the warmth of his arms.

She laid her head against his shoulder and smiled when she smelt his excitement. He sighed and turned his head so his cheek was on to of her head. Meryl sighed knowing that this would end soon enough, it wasn't a matter that she concerned herself with. Her tail became agitated and began to travel north. Her tail began to rub itself against the side of his hand. When it received no response or attention it decided to go south. Her tail was now gently flickering against his bare feet. He began to chuckle and Meryl raised her head in question.

"What's so funny?" Meryl asked as she leaned up.

"Something's tickling my feet," Vash said as he began to laugh. Meryl looked back and almost fainted when she saw her tail wrapped around his foot. She grabbed her tail and tucked it into her pants.

"Kuroneko was by your feet," Meryl said with a nervous tone.

"Are you sure? It felt like a tail," he said making her laugh nervously and rub the back of her neck.

"It was definitely that weird black cat," She assured. Meryl stood up and stretched making sure to keep her back away from him.

"Milly got the liquor out again, do you want to join us?" Vash asked.

"You know I don't like to drink," Meryl said. Vash grabbed her wrist and put a determined face on.

"I'm not letting you go till you come," Vash determinedly said.

"I'll drink and play cards with you some other time," Meryl said.

"Promise?" Vash asked.

"Promise," Meryl assured as he let her go. His eyes lit up and he tightly hugged her like she was his lifeline. He then ran off and down the stairs before she could punch him. Meryl sighed and pushed her hair back.

* * *

"So what's on today's agenda?" Meryl asked as they stopped in the middle of the desert. Wolfwood took one long drag on his cigarette and then put it out.

"Today we're going to work on your reflexes and your focus," Wolfwood said as pulled out a gun and fired at her. She dodged the bullet and then cussed.

"What the hell?" Meryl yelled as she began change. Her cussing soon turned to hissing and she was now staring at him like he was brunch.

"You are to dodge the bullets and disarm me," Wolfwood simply said. Meryl raised an eyebrow and snickered.

"Just remove the gun without injuring me," Wolfwood said.

He swore he could hear her cuss at the thought. So the night's practice began and Meryl rolled her eyes and she shifted into her full cat form. She lost all her human features, but she still had her mind. She followed the barrel of the gun and watched as the bullet came flying out towards her. She dodged the bullets again waiting for him to fire the last one. She followed the projection and the barrel was now empty. She quickly charged him and wrapped her jaws around his wrist making him drop the gun.

Wolfwood pulled out another gun and she crushed it underneath her paw and gave him a cocky look. She transformed into a more humanoid body and smirked.

"You could have just taken the gun," Wolfwood said.

"You said disarm," Meryl replied.

"Whatever," Wolfwood said as he lit up again.

* * *

Sorry this chapter is short, but the next two will also be short. Then the chapters will be getting pretty sharp. Please review.

* * *


	7. Part 5: Thrill Me

Sorry that the last chapter was so short, but this one will be too.

I just want to hurry up with this filler chapter so I can get to the main part of the story.

Tasuki No Miko4- you're very observant, I'll introduce the boy kitty soon

* * *

Part 5: Thrill Me

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

* * *

Meryl was in the kitchen with a rag in her left hand. She sighed and ran her hands through her hair as she remembered the grocery prices. She threw an empty beer bottle into the garbage and sighed again, this time in frustration. She knew Vash saw her eyes, and yet he didn't day anything about it. He didn't find out anything about the mirror either, but that was because Knives managed to fix it. Meryl stared out the kitchen window and wondered why Vash hadn't said anything and why Knives was acting the way he was.

"I hate life," Meryl mumbled.

"Just remember Vash disapproves of suicide," Knives said as he stared at her from the table. Meryl turned around and almost growled when she saw Knives.

"What do you want?" Meryl asked as she turned her back to him. Knives narrowed his eyes at the blatant insult. He stood up and walked up to her and leaned close to her ear. He wanted her to catch every word he said to her. He wanted her to hear what he knew or was determined to find.

"I'm not a foolish as my brother ...**I** ... know you're hiding something," Knives said as stood back and began to walk away.

"You may know something ... but you will never know my reasons," Meryl said as she closed her eyes and smirked. Knives continued to walk away leaving her in the kitchen alone.

She sighed and pushed away from the sink. She then walked upstairs towards and into her bedroom, where she found Vash sleeping in his own bed. She quickly put on her pajama shirt and climbed into her own bed. She rolled over and faced the wall. She let her tail loose out of her underwear so it could have some room under the blankets. She didn't know if it was a good idea or not, but at this point in time she didn't care enough to worry about it. She stared at the wall and let her muscles relax.

'Shit,' she thought as she watched a spider crawl up the wall.

'I'm not getting up to kill the thing, I'm already lying down. I wonder if Milly's asleep. I hear Wolfwood snoring and Knives' room is too silent for comfort.'

Meryl rolled over and saw Vash hanging halfway off his bed. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open. He was making soft snoring noises as his hair moved with each little breath he took. She smiled and closed her eyes. She let the room's silence and his even breathing lull her to sleep

* * *

Dream (Meryl's POV)

_I was standing in a beautiful garden that was full of all sorts of life. I could feel everything that was alive, it seemed like I was finally at a peace. In the middle of the garden I saw a bed with Vash on it. He was lying down and looking at the sky. I walked over to him and saw that he had a baby in his arms. He looked over at me and smiled as he showed me the child. I could tell the child wasn't human ... at least all of it wasn't. It was a sleeping girl that had tiny claws for nails, and I could see her tail sticking out of the blanket. She had blonde hair and her tail was blonde._

_I took a step back and watched as she disappeared. A flame erupted from the bed; it consumed the bed and the whole garden. I closed my eyes and truly felt fear in my heart. Everything was dead ... Milly was in a lake of blood and Wolfwood was spend across his cross. I could smell Milly and his blood mixed together. That's when I smelt it and felt a hand reach and softly touch my ankle. I looked own and fell to my knees in horror. I pulled Vash towards me and cried as I tried to wipe the crusted blood from his face. He had an angelic smile that spoke to me and it said forgiveness to me. That's when I felt the breeze on my skin. I was naked and covered in blood._

_"Vash, what did I do?" I cried to him, as I smelled death._

_"Nothing," he whispered to me as his breathes slowed._

_"Damn it Vash! Heal yourself!" I pleaded as I let the tears flow. He coughed up blood and that's when I saw it. I saw five deep gashes across his chest. The gashes made the flesh look like a torn up cow after a wolf attack. I quickly looked at my claws and saw the flesh underneath them along with the blood. I screamed in agony, I wished for death._

_"Meryl," Vash whispered as I uncontrollably sobbed. He then said my name with a little bit more force. I had to lean forward to catch his word._

_"Remember," he began as he struggled for breath, "your ticket to the future is ... is open."_

_That's when his chest stopped rising and his heart died. I watched his eyes glaze over. The aqua green color orbs that looked so energetic, now looked like a far away ocean. I reached down and touched his face, his body was still warm, but that warmth was quickly fading. I closed his eyes and laid his body on the ground. I collapsed and began to sob, it seemed like hours, but even I knew somewhere that it was just seconds trying to kill me._

_"Very good Meryl," an approved voice said from in front of me. I looked up and saw that it was Knives in perfect condition. He was like a damn collectors item that wouldn't fade, but would always be there to mock you. I didn't care what he did since a part of me just died._

_"And here I thought my works were brutal," Knives continued as he clapped three times._

_I just continued to stare at him with dead eyes._

_"I just wish I could have put that look of horror on my brother's face. It was even more delightful than the look he gave me after I told him I killed the crew."_

_"No, I wouldn't ..."_

_"But you did. It was wonderful to watch you sink your fangs in Wolfwood's neck. Then poor Milly ... she didn't even see your attack from the behind. Her scream was music to my ears," Knives blissfully explained. That was when something in me broke._

_"Shut up," I said as I felt the monster rise again._

_"And to think that it all started because Vash didn't accept you," Knives continued._

_"Stop it, please," I pleaded._

_"You want me to stop? What about when Vash wanted you to stop? Did you?" Knives sadistically taunted. The beast escaped and I lunged at Knives. He kicked me out of the way and laughed._

_"Vash is dead ... because of you," Knives said as he disappeared. I growled and then screamed when the images of what had happened flashed through my mind._

__

* * *

Meryl quickly sat up and looked over to see Vash quietly sleeping on his bed. She looked down and could tell her claws were clean. She picked up her pillow and threw it across the room when she felt the sweat it was drenched with. She growled in disgust and got up to go take a shower. Before she left she gazed at Vash's childlike features and ran out of the room with tears in her eyes.

Vash quickly sat up with wide eyes when he heard sniffles. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He noticed he was sweating. He then reached over and felt that his pillow was wet. He looked over and narrowed his eyes when he noticed Meryl was gone. He didn't want to close his eyes for fear of the dream coming back. So he stood and decided to go start some coffee. He heard the water running, but he also heard the tears that the water tried to cover up

"What's going on Meryl?" Vash asked to the empty hallway.

Knives lay in bed grinning like a Cheshire cat. He knew the dream had the perfect effect on both of them. So he chose to answer the question, knowing Vash couldn't hear it.

"My way to destroying life," Knives answered.

* * *

I hope that chapter was okay, it was hard writing the dream the way I wanted it to turn out. I don't want to make Knives an ass, but he does have some inner demons to fight so please review and tell me what you thought.

* * *


	8. Forever Night

* * *

I've been waiting forever to get this chapter out. I wanted to update, but life's been hectic and everything's been blowing up. So get your donuts out, it's time for another chapter.

I plan to update fast, but I have other stories as well so please review.

* * *

Forever Night

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Dreams or Flashbacks_

* * *

Milly had noticed that on the way to the orphanage Meryl had been silent and nervous. Wolfwood kept driving and wondering what had happened to make the cat girl on edge. He knew that Vash was clueless about Meryl's secret, and he knew Knives showed no interest in the current situation. So the ride to the orphanage was quiet and nerve wrecking. Wolfwood had just hoped that Meryl would lighten up around the kid that Milly had told him about. Vash had cautiously put an arm around Meryl's shoulders and smiled when she didn't complain of fidget.

'What should I do?' Meryl thought as she touched Vash's hand and began to massage his fingers. She stopped massaging his fingers and looked up at his face to notice his smile. She lightly blushed and looked away. He then leaned his head on top of hers making her blush even more. Knives just scoffed at the idea of affection and turned his thoughts towards his brother.

"We'll be there soon," Milly said with a smile. Meryl looked toward Milly and smiled, but she could tell it was an empty smile. Milly turned around and frowned. Vash was blissfully pretending to be unaware of the current situation. Knives had a cynical smile on his face when he thought of the dream that he invaded.

'Meryl,' Knives whispered in her mind. Her back tensed up and she dared not to turn around. Vash felt her tense and looked over at her to see her eyes unfocused.

"Are you okay?" Vash asked. Meryl stiffly nodded a yeah.

'What do you want?' Meryl demanded as she stared unfocused.

'I noticed your lacking confidence. I couldn't help but dive into your dream,' Knives said.

'What the hell are you getting at?' Meryl growled.

'I know your hiding something,' Knives taunted.

'Really?' Meryl challenged.

'Did you know I'm training Vash on how to use his abilities?' Knives casually asked.

'I could smell a rise in power,' Meryl thought as blocked Knives.

'I know your not human anymore. Vash knows too,' Knives whispered inside her head.

'He knows nothing,' Meryl snapped.

'So you admit to something. He was in your dream ... just like I was,' Knives said with a smirk on his face.

'Even if you find out what I am, I will not be bullied by your inhuman ass,' Meryl coolly said.

'But will you choose to be bullied by Vash?' Knives asked knowing that he had dealt a major emotional blow to her.

'I won't be bullied, Knives,' She plainly said with no emotion.

Vash pulled Meryl closer to himself only to feel the distance between them grow. He noticed that Knives was silently laughing at him with his cold blue eyes. Meryl frowned and leaned closer to the window.

"Yah! We're here!" Milly cheered as she got out of the jeep and ran towards the orphanage.

"Wait up honey!" Wolfwood yelled as he chased after her.

"Look it Meryl! They have dodge balls!" Vash yelled as he ran towards the kids that were playing ball. Knives scoffed and sat on top of the jeep's roof.

Meryl sniffed the air and noticed a scent that was slightly off. She looked around and saw a boy walking along the shadows of the orphanage. She then saw that he had what she had ... a tail. She jogged over to the boy and waived at him. He glanced at her and then went back to walking. She frowned and decided to walk with him.

"My names Meryl," she introduced.

"Rei," he whispered as his tail flickered in agitation. Meryl titled her head before she reached inside her cape and untied her tail. The boy stopped and his eyes widened when he saw her tail.

"I know what you are," Meryl whispered, "Because I'm like you."

"Where you born this way?" Rei asked as he slumped against the building and sat down in the sand.

"No, I was cursed," Meryl, answered as she sat next to him. She made sure to leave space.

"Oh, how long have you been this way?" Rei asked.

"Less then a month," Meryl answered.

"You haven't had a moon change yet," Rei stated as he drew the moon in the sand.

"No, I haven't. Is it different then the other changes?" Meryl asked.

"Yeah it is. It's easier to lose control," he answered as he took a deep breath".

"So why are you here?" Meryl answered.

"My father was leader of the Marozi tribe and he fell in love with my mother. The tribe threw him out and the villagers of our town killed my mother and father. So I ran away and live here," he explained as if the pain wasn't there anymore.

'All that pain, yet he hides it,' Meryl thought as she tied her tail back up.

"Why do you hide your tail," Rei asked.

"I don't want Vash to know," she answered as she looked over at the said gunman. He stopped playing ball and waived at her only to get hit in the face.

"Why?"

"Truthfully ... I don't know," Meryl answered.

"How many shifts have you done?" Rei asked.

"Only three or four," Meryl answered.

"That's a lot for a beginner," Rei stated.

"Really?" Meryl asked.

"Yep, I'm only twelve and only shift when I have to," he answered.

Meryl ruffled his brown hair and looked into his green eyes and smiled.

"Would you like to live with me?" Meryl asked.

"Do you mean it?" Rei asked as he looked up hopefully.

"Of course, you could be like the brother I never had," Meryl said.

"That would be great," he excitedly said.

"I promise to keep you safe and we can learn to be a tribe," Meryl promised.

The boy smiled and looked down before jumped up and started to dance.

"This is going to be so cool!" He yelled. Knives raised a brow before he scoffed and turned away.

"Will your friends think it's okay?" Rei asked.

"They'll think it's wonderful," Meryl assured as she took the boys hand.

Meryl then got up and walked towards Vash with a smile. She pulled him aside when the dodge ball game was over.

"Hey Meryl," Vash said.

"Hey yourself. We're going to be having another person around the house," Meryl explained.

"Really? Who?" He asked as he looked around.

"His name is Rei and he's a Marozi," Meryl said.

"You mean a shifter?" Vash asked.

"Yeah and he's a shifter," Meryl stated in a cautious tone.

"Can he be trusted?" Vash asked.

"Just because he's different you're saying he can't be trusted?" Meryl asked in a tone of disbelief.

"No it's not that," Vash argued.

"Like hell it isn't! You of all people should know everyone deserves a chance!" Meryl growled as her eyes narrowed. She began to walk away only to be stopped by Vash's hand on her shoulder.

"Meryl you got it wrong-"

"I got it wrong?" She asked in disbelief. "I'm not the one who brought a psychopathic killer into the house!"

'No offense Knives,' Meryl sent out.

'None taken,' he dryly assured.

"Wait," Vash pleaded as he chased after her. Meryl stormed into the library and met a startled Milly.

"Milly, please take care of Rei. I'll meet you back home," Meryl said as she continued her way out of the building. Meryl then began to run as and as she ran she let the shift begin. She quickly took off her dress like shirt and cape as she ran. She made the shift into her full animal form and let out a roar. She missed the grinning face as she took off.

* * *

Knives sat in the darkened kitchen as he waited for Meryl to walk in through the door. By the look on his face you could say he was giddy about the meeting he was about to have. He now knew for sure what Meryl was and now he had a way to free his sisters without drawing attention. All he had to do was get a simple collar on her and everything else would fall into place. He looked up when he heard the door creak open.

"What are you doing up?" Meryl asked as she softly closed the door. She took off her cape and laid it down.

Knives smiled and placed a white collar on the table that had a blue daisy on it. Meryl let her violet-gray eyes glance at the collar then back to Knives' ice blue eyes.

"It's for you," he simply said. Meryl eyed it suspiciously before she touched the stone.

"Nothing you give is free," Meryl stated as she pulled her hand back and eyed him distrustfully.

"Very perceptive, but this is a gift. Put it on," Knives suggested as he watched her.

She picked up collar and couldn't help being entranced by its beauty. She put it on seeing no harm in it. Once it was on she looked into a mirror and touched the flower.

"The blue accents your skin," Knives said as he stood behind her.

She quickly stepped away and tugged at the collar. She was shocked and fell to the floor in pain. She let out a low growl as Knives chuckled at her tactics.

"What is this?" She demanded to know as she stood up.

"I saw you change," he softly said as he watched understanding dawn on her face.

"So, what do you want? A medal?" Meryl mockingly asked as it shocked her again. She grabbed at the collar and gasped.

"Impudence is not an option my kitty," Knives disappointedly stated.

"First I am not **yours** and second, go to hell," Meryl said. Knives frowned.

"I own you since you have that collar and I will not hesitate to kill you," Knives threatened.

Meryl laughed as she looked up at him and smirked.

"Kill me and Vash will kill you."

Knives gave a dry chuckle before he sneered and kicked her in the face. She slammed into the wall and slumped in exhaustion.

"Listen and understand. You are **mine **and you will do as I say unless you want Vash to know what you are," Knives threatened.

Meryl weakly looked up and growled as her eyes flashed anger. She still smirked and looked up at him.

"Screw you," Meryl said as she watched him frown.

"No, I believe it is you who is screwed," Knives said and walked away from her.

She pushed herself up and leaned against the wall as she thought about what just happened. She growled and punched the wall before she stood up and went towards her room.

'Damn him,' Meryl growled furiously.

_"Remember, your ticket to the future is ...is open"_

'Why the hell must I keep suffering? Wasn't once enough?' Meryl asked her mind as she lay on her bed.

She smiled when she saw Vash's outline in the moonlight. She knew that days like these would be few.

'I promised that I wouldn't lose another, and I refuse to lose you ... even if it means losing myself,' Meryl thought as she closed her eyes and let sleep consume her.

* * *

_"Hello," Meryl called out as she looked at the clouds around her. She lay back and relaxed._

_"Are you Meryl?" A soft voice asked._

_"Yeah, I am," Meryl, answered as she looked at the woman before her._

_The woman had long black hair and gray eyes._

_"You shouldn't go to sleep when you're angry," Rem said._

_"Who are you?" Meryl asked._

_"I'm Rem."_

_"Oh," Meryl said as she realized whom this was._

_"Knives is really a good boy," Rem said._

_"Shooting up your twin and then trying to blackmail others doesn't go down in my books as being good," Meryl said._

_"He's just confused and scared," Rem said as she closed her eyes._

_"Like hell," Meryl said._

_"Please help him," Rem said as she began to fade away._

_"Help him?" Meryl asked in disbelief._

_"I can not believe this."_

* * *

Meryl rolled over and yawned when she saw light creep in through the window. She looked over to the other twin bed and noted that Vash was not there. She sat up and remembered that he now had a job and hers was to take care of Knives. She growled and narrowed her eyes when she thought of him. She then thought of Rem and how she requested that she take care of Knives.

"What the hell do you people want from me?" She demanded to know as she let out a sigh.

She pushed herself out of bed and decided it was time to change. She put on a white tank top and a black skirt. The skirt came half way down her calves. She was able to wrap her tail around her leg. She then took a deep breath and prepared herself for any challenges that might happen.

* * *


	9. Good Bye Tonight

I don't own Trigun

So, now that the disclaimer is done, I can get on with the story

* * *

Good Bye Tonight

"Talking"

'Thinking'

_Dreams and Flashbacks_

**Stressed Words**

* * *

Meryl reached into the cupboard and pulled out the donuts that she hid from Vash. She smiled when she saw that her plain donut was still in the box. She pulled it out and went to take a bite of it only to stop. She could smell him and hear him walking behind her. His limp was gone and he was now fully healed. Meryl growled when the donut disappeared from her hand. She turned around to meet ice blue eyes. Her eyes narrowed when she watched him take a bite.

"You eat the plain donuts, straight to the point," Knives said as he placed the donut back in her hand.

"What do you want?" Meryl asked as she contained a growl.

"Tonight you are going to take me to December," Knives said.

"Why?" Meryl asked.

"That is for me to know," Knives said before he walked away.

'Stupid asshole,' Meryl thought as she threw the donut away.

She walked outside to see Rei sitting on the ground and looking at the town. She walked over to the boy and sat down next to him. She stared out into the sky and wondered what Knives would want in December. She let out a sigh and thought about what she would tell Vash and the others.

"Do you think we could go into town?" Rei asked as he looked up at Meryl. Meryl shrugged and nodded as she stared out into the distance.

"I'll take you into town," Meryl said after she let silence settle.

Meryl inhaled the crisp air and caught Vash's scent of gunpowder and a sweet sweat. She smiled and stood up. She walked behind the house and saw Vash sitting outside and shaving. She smiled knowing that Milly must have been in the bathroom. She silently stalked behind him as she listened to the razor cut each hair off his face. Her ears would of twitched, but she was in her human form and she heard the razor stop. She saw Vash's back tensed and wished she could have felt each muscle move. She then began to walk towards him normally.

"Hello Vash," Meryl greeted as she stood next to him. He looked over at her and she chuckled when she saw his face. Half of his chin was still covered in shaving cream.

"Hey Meryl," Vash said with a smile.

"I was wondering if you wanted me to come into town with Rei and I?" Meryl asked. Vash looked shocked before he quickly nodded.

"Sure, just let me finish," he said as he began to shave again.

She smiled and walked into the house and bumped into solid figure. Without looking up she could tell that it was Wolfwood by scent alone. She stepped back.

"What's the rush?" Wolfwood asked.

"Just going to grab my derringers," Meryl said.

"Where'd you get the necklace?" Wolfwood asked as he studied it suspiciously.

"I gave it to her," Knives stated as he emerged from the kitchen.

"Really?" Wolfwood asked.

"Yes," Meryl said as she stepped to the side and continued on her way.

Knives chose then to walk up the stairs and leave a confused Wolfwood.

'What the hell was that about?' Wolfwood wondered.

"Hey Wolfwood," Vash cheerfully greeted as he walked past him. Wolfwood grabbed Vash by the arm and stopped his path.

"Why would your brother give Meryl something?" Wolfwood asked.

"What?" Vash asked in a deadpan voice.

"He gave her a necklace," Wolfwood said.

"Why would he do that?" Vash asked as he thought.

"I don't know! He's your brother?" Wolfwood growled as he rubbed his temples.

"I'll ask Meryl about it," Vash said as he went into the kitchen.

* * *

Meryl stood outside with Rei and she was nervously fiddled with the necklace. Rei kept looking at her as she messed with the necklace. Meryl could hear Wolfwood talking to Vash and smelt confusion. She looked down at Rei and smiled when she saw him wrinkle his nose in distaste. She then watched Vash walk out of the house. He was in khaki pants with a white shirt. When he caught up to her he ruffled Rei's hair. Rei just smiled, his tail twitched in excitement.

"Where are we going?" Vash asked.

"Well, Rei needs clothes," Meryl said.

"Aw man ... so shopping?" Vash moaned.

"It won't be that bad," Rei said with a smile.

"Sure," Vash said with fake cheerfulness.

"Fine, I'll take you to the bar," Meryl said.

Vash grinned and grabbed Meryl and Rei's hand before he went running towards the town. Meryl started to growl and swung her punch, effectively nailing Vash in the jaw and slowing him down.

"OW!!!" Vash whined as he cradled his jaw.

Meryl grabbed Rei's wrist and stomped off towards the village. Vash finished crying and ran to catch up to her. Meryl ended up smacking him again, because he tried to run off into the bar. She and Vash first took Rei into the store. They talked to the owner and told him that Rei needed four pairs of pants and at least five shirts. Rei nodded that he would go home after shopping and help Milly cook. Vash still couldn't help staring at the boy's cattail as they left. Meryl smacked Vash on the arm when they reached the outdoors.

"Why'd you hit me?" Vash asked.

"Because you were staring at him," Meryl scowled.

* * *

They finally reached the bar and took a seat in the far corner. Meryl ordered a pop and Vash got his beer. Meryl couldn't help but feel that Vash looked at Rei as being different. When their drinks arrived, Meryl stared into her coke and sighed. Vash pushed his beer aside and gazed at Meryl. He smiled when she started to fidget. She looked up at him and opened her mouth to say something, but she then closed it. Vash frowned and decided to talk.

"You've never really told me why Rei has a tail," Vash calmly said. Meryl sighed as thought of a way to put phrase the answer.

"Do you believe in were-people?" Meryl asked.

Vash raised an eyebrow and his eyes twinkled in humor.

"Are saying Rei's a were-person?" Vash asked with slight doubt.

Meryl bristled at the fact that he mocking her. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she seriously stared him in the eyes.

"I'm very serious Vash-**san**," Meryl said.

Vash frowned at the formal note and decided to sit straight and stare back at her with a serious expression.

'That ass! So now he decides to go serious,' Meryl madly thought.

"Yes, it is a fact that he is a werecat. I have seen his form and I know that it's hard to believe," Meryl said.

"This is a bit much," Vash tried to reason.

'So he thinks I'm lying?' Meryl furiously thought.

"NO!" Meryl growled. "He is and soon you'll understand why."

Vash sighed and rubbed his eyes exhaustion. He tired to think of a way to convince her that it wasn't true.

"Meryl, stuff like this ... just doesn't ... it's not real," Vash simply said. Meryl quickly stood up and knocked her chair back. She dug her claws into the table and growled.

"You're fucking real!" She growled.

'She's pissed,' Vash panicked.

"That's different," Vash tried to argue.

"How so?" Meryl challenged.

"Things like that are just ... evil and monstrous," Vash growled back.

Meryl backed away from the table in shock as her eyes widened.

'But will you choose to be bullied by Vash?' Echoed Knives words as she glared at Vash.

"No," Meryl whispered to the echo.

"No what?" Vash asked in confusion.

Meryl snapped back to attention and glowered at Vash with all the anger she could.

"I will not sit here and listen to **your** shit!" Meryl stated as she quickly walked out of the bar. Vash quickly slammed some money on the table and walked after her.

"Meryl wait up and listen to me!" Vash yelled as he ran to catch up to her. She quickly whirled around and growled.

"No you listen! I'm going to go to December and if you follow ... I will personally castrate you!" Meryl threatened. Vash's face paled and he gulped.

Meryl slammed into the house and went upstairs. Vash followed her and watched as she slammed into his room.

"Damn it Knives! Pack now! We're going to December!" Meryl yelled at the resting brother. He smirked when he sensed his brother's anger form following Meryl.

"Why are you taking Knives?" Vash demanded to know.

"Because he wants to come!" Meryl growled as she packed an extra sports bra and under wear.

"But he's still dangerous," Vash argued.

"Listen here!" Meryl said as she glared at Vash. "Bite me."

"Wait up Meryl!" Vash Pleaded.

"No Vash, good bye, tonight," she said without looking at Vash.

She then closed her pack and threw it out the window. She then stomped downstairs and met Knives at the jeep. She smirked when she saw that her pack landed in the jeep. She jumped on the driver's side and made sure Knives was in the passenger's side before she went speeding towards December. Vash just irritably and powerlessly watched as she went speeding off with his brother.

* * *

"Man, you pissed her off," Wolfwood said as he stepped from the shadows of the house.

"You don't know the half of it," Vash whispered.

"Actually I do, and it's time for you to know also," Wolfwood said as he put his smoke out.

Vash just gave him a confused look before they walked back into the house to have a long discussion.

* * *

Meryl quickly drove down the dessert, not caring what she ran over. She couldn't help but growl on the whole drive. Knives had received a headache that turned into a migraine. There were times when Meryl continued to cuss for minutes at a time. Knives rubbed his temples.

'Damn female!' Knives thought.

"Will you shut up?" Knives growled.

"Fuck you!" Meryl answered as her growling turned into snarls.

'I bet if she talks about it she'll shut up then,' Knives thought as he rolled his eyes.

"What did you and my idiot brother argue about?" Knives stoically asked as he rolled his eyes.

"That idiot says that **all** werecats are monstrous and evil!" Meryl said as she resisted the urge to cry.

'So, the idiot unconsciously hurt her. What a fool,' Knives thought.

"Did you tell him?" Knives asked.

"No and that's the thing! He didn't even listen," Meryl growled out.

"He is a bit of a hypocrite," Knives said.

"Your no ray of sun either," Meryl dryly said.

"At least I stuck to my beliefs," Knives pointed out.

"True," Meryl sighed.

"Good thing you didn't tell him," Knives said.

"What do you mean?" Meryl asked, as her curiosity was peaked.

"Who knows what he might have done if you told him," Knives said in fake sorrow.

"He wouldn't have hurt me," Meryl plainly said.

"Can you believe that?" Knives challenged.

"I think so," Meryl whispered as she continued to drive.

Knives smirked when he realized he had just planted the best seed of all. The seed of doubt, and he could tell that it was already messing with her mind in the best possible ways.

* * *


	10. Never Say Good Bye

* * *

I know I'm the authoress and all, but I just love writing this story.

I don't own Trigun

DeepCrimsonOtaku – The idea of a Marozi tribe is completely my own idea, I did base it off wolf packs and how people structure each other in the world

* * *

Hotaru means Firefly

Miki means Flower stalk

Never Say Good Bye

"Talking"

'Thinking'

_Dream or Flashback_

**Stressed Word**

Tension was in the air; it was stalking two people in kitchen, while it left its brother confusion, gnaw at the other's mind. The only female at the table had her hands squeezing the jeans that she wore. Her knuckles turned white as she frowned and tried to steady her breath. The confused male stared at the other male's figure as he shakily took out another cigarette. He carefully lit up and took a deep drag on it. The confused male growled and decided to open his mouth before it was too late.

"Is there something I don't know?" Vash asked.

Milly looked up as if she forgot the reason they were all here. Wolfwood put out his cigarette and chuckled as he looked at Vash.

"That's putting it lightly," Wolfwood said.

"What am I putting lightly?" Vash uneasily asked.

"It's about Meryl," Milly softly said.

"It's all about short girl," Wolfwood dryly said.

"What?" Vash demanded.

"She's gone through some ... slight changes," Milly hesitantly said.

"What changes? Are they deadly?" Vash worriedly asked.

"She's not exactly human, and it's not exactly deadly," Milly said.

When Wolfwood saw Vash's confused face he decided it was time to elaborate.

"Do you believe in Werecats?" Wolfwood asked.

* * *

Knives stared at the plant and wondered why it never bothered to escape its prison. He heard the soft steps of Meryl come towards him. He didn't make an effort to look behind himself. He did look out of the corner of his eye when she stood right next to him.

"It's beautiful," Meryl whispered as she stared at the glowing plant. Knives snorted at her comment.

"Would you be saying that if it was you imprisoned?" Knives asked.

Meryl remained speechless for a few moments before she sighed.

"How do you know that it's truly a prison?" Meryl asked back.

"I know because the butterfly must be free, while the spider is crushed!" Knives growled.

"It makes me miserable to know you're in that much pain," Meryl said. Knives snapped to her direction and shocked her until she fell.

"Do not offer me pity again!" He warned before he walked towards the plant.

Meryl just sighed and walked after him. He stopped just outside of the plant and stood near the wall out of the securities sight. When he looked of toward Meryl, he saw that she was already in her other shape. She sat at his feet and stared up at him. He looked into her eyes and expected to see nothing but her primitive side. He was startled when he saw that she was fully in control of her animal form. Her tail swished in the sand leaving pendulum marks. He could see agitation in her eyes and could tell she was tense.

"Take out security and make sure that all humans are disposed of," Knives ordered.

Meryl growled and laid her ears flat on top of her head when she heard the word disposed.

'Do what you will to get the humans out of the way,' Knives said as he stared into her eyes.

'I will not kill for your gain,' Meryl thought back to him.

Meryl walked around towards the back of the plant and found a door. She shifted into her halfway form. She kneeled in the sand and used her claw to pick at the lock. When she heard a click, she lightly pushed open the door and went back to her cat form. She looked into the hallways, saw that there were no lights, and smirked knowing she had perfect night vision. Meryl listened and found that she could smell coffee. She ran off in the direction of the smell. When she got closer, she heard three different breathing patterns.

She hissed into the darkness and could hear one of the guards asking if the could hear that.

"I'm going to check it out," one man said as he opened the door and stepped out. Meryl ducked down a hallway left her tail in the path of the guard. She meowed.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty," the guard called.

"Found you," the guard said as he saw the tail.

He reached down and pulled the tail. Meryl growled at him and transformed into her halfway shape again.

"Don't touch the tail," She growled out at him. The guard dropped his flashlight and jumped back.

* * *

Vash had just finished laughing and finally looked up at Wolfwood and Milly's frowning face. He could now tell that this was no laughing matter.

"What is it with all this Werecat crap?" Vas asked.

"It's not crap Mr. Vash," Milly angrily said.

"Remember that guy Meryl went out with?" Wolfwood asked.

"Yeah? What about him?" Vash quickly asked.

"Jesse passed the werecat curse down to Meryl," Wolfwood said.

"What?" Vash asked in a deadpan voice.

"Meryl said that she had the spirit of the Marozi and that Jesse was actually her father," Milly explained as she twisted her jacket in her hands.

"Meryl has three shapes that we know about," Wolfwood said.

"Why didn't she tell me about this?" Vash demanded to know.

"She was afraid of your reaction," Milly truthfully said.

Vash looked down in shame when he realized he gave her the reaction that she expected to get. He now understood why she reacted so strongly.

"She also allowed herself to be cursed because she found out it would make her age slower," Milly said.

Vash shook his head refusing to believe what Milly was saying.

"She did it for you," Wolfwood said.

* * *

"What are you?" He asked with a horrified look in his eyes.

"A monster," she whispered as backhanded him down the hallway.

She watched his body land with a thud in the hallway and started to walk away towards the other guards. She could still his breathing, but he was unconscious. As she walked away, she had a new question in her mind. Why did her inner beast crave the challenge of a fight?

She sniffed the air and began to follow the scent of the other two humans. She smiled as she lightly trailed her claws on the door. Everything froze inside the room and she purred when their fear peaked. She threw open the door causing both guards two point their guns at her. She could see the fear in their eyes and she smiled, flashing a fang for show.

"It's not nice to point," Meryl purred.

Gunfire went off and echoed through the darkened halls. She ducked and charged one guard. Her jaws crushed the gun and she used her tail to strangle the man into unconsciousness. The room's lights went out and the guards fired his gun into the darkness. It eventually clicked until he threw it and ran. Meryl raced after him and slammed him into the floor. He passed out from fear and she transformed into her human self.

'It's safe to come in now,' Meryl thought towards Knives.

'Took you long enough,' he replied with a scowled. Meryl growled and went towards the plant's chambers.

* * *

Vash was still in shock from the confession Milly and Nick just made. He couldn't believe that she would throw away her humanity for him. He didn't know what to do, so he sat there in silence.

"Say something," Wolfwood growled.

"I don't know what," Vash confessed.

Wolfwood was about to yell when he heard frantic growls and roars from outside. They ran outside and Milly gasped and went to run towards the smaller male Marozi. Wolfwood held her back. Vash drew his gun and shot at the ground in between them causing them separate and hiss. The smaller male walked over to Milly and transformed into Rei. Vash's mouth was open in shock.

"What's going on?" Wolfwood asked. Rei growled at the other male Marozi.

"He wants Meryl to come with him to the land of the clans," Rei said.

"Why?" Milly asked as she looked over at the transforming Marozi.

"The elders wish to speak to her," the older one said.

"Just who in the hell are you?" Wolfwood asked.

"I am Hotaru," the male Marozi answered.

"He's also the elders messenger," Rei replied as he stared into the boys orange eyes. His blood red hair blew in the wind as he shrugged his shoulders.

"What do they need with her?" Vash asked as he looked into Hotaru's eyes.

"They need to introduce her to the clan," Hotaru said as if it explained everything.

"It's like a family reunion, Mr. Vash," Milly excitedly said.

"Yes, and now we must get going," Hotaru said.

"She's not here," Vash whispered.

"Where is she?" Hotaru asked.

"We don't know," Wolfwood confessed.

"I'll go find her," Vash said as he stood up.

"I'll go with you," Hotaru said. Before Vash could argue, he was already transformed. Hotaru growled and Rei nodded his head in understanding.

"We have to go to the land of the clans," Rei said.

"Milly and I can take my bike and you can ..."

"I'll run," Rei said as he started to undress.

"Vash," Rei said before he transformed, "Hotaru said he'll carry you."

Vash cautiously walked over to the huge Marozi and stared him in the eyes. The Marozi leaned down and Vash got on it like he would a horse. He held onto the little mane as they started to run towards Meryl.

Rei walked over to Wolfwood in his cat form and dropped his clothes at his feet. He then sat down on the ground. Milly played with the cats ears before she got a bag for any extra clothes. Wolfwood then came out with the bike and started it. Milly held onto his waist and they followed Rei through the desert.

* * *

"How do you know this will work?" Meryl asked as she looked into the bulb. Knives growled at her before he went back to work. Meryl pressed her forehead against the glass and heard a soft humming vibrate into her mind.

"She's singing," Meryl said with amazement as she listened.

"I want you to pull the green wires when I say so," Knives said as he glanced at the naked Meryl.

Meryl nodded with a frown and walked over to the wires. She picked out all of the green wires and held them in her fist. Knives then walked over to where the containment door was and went inside the bulb. He held his hands out in front of himself and nodded to Meryl to pull the wires. The entire plant shut down and Knives focused his energy into his sister. A small tan hand reached out from the energy and grasped onto Knives wrist. Meryl could only watch in amazement as the female plant pulled herself out of the energy.

She fell into Knives arms and long white hair hung over the left arm. Meryl ran over to the newest member of the group and watched as the small woman opened her eyes. Meryl was shocked to find that her eyes were a grass green. The woman smiled and Knives set her on her own feet she looked at Meryl.

"I know you," she whispered. Meryl was shocked to find the soft voice sounded familiar.

"Miki?" Meryl asked.

"Remember when you came here," she whispered.

"I got separated from my brother," Meryl said. Knives looked at the scene in annoyance.

"I helped you find your brother," Miki said.

"You talked in my mind and told me where to find him," Meryl said.

Miki nodded her head and hugged Meryl.

'How can my sister be just like Vash? How can she care for humans?' Knives wondered.

"You can borrow my clothes," Meryl said as she stepped back and sniffed the air. Miki smiled and turned around when she heard footsteps.

"It's time to play, kitty," a voice maliciously whispered.

"Who's there?" Knives asked as he watched the person walked towards them. Meryl stiffened and told Miki to stay behind her.

"Don't you want to play?" The feminine voice dryly asked.

"It's another werecat," Meryl said.

* * *

"I can see them in the distance," Vash said as he shielded his eyes from the blowing sand.

The cat growled in his thought as a sign of understanding. Vash squinted and could see another female in the group. He then caught movement and saw what looked like a walking cat. He drew his gun and prepared to fire at the stranger. He could sense evil radiating off its skin.


	11. Love Will Tear Us Apart Again

It seems like forever since I updated, but I've been fixing the plans I already have for this Fic.

Thanks to all the reviewers and readers of this story, I love you all o

This chapter may be annoying because I'm going to throw in some lyrics

* * *

Hotaru means firefly

Miki means flower stalk

Akujin means evil god

* * *

Love will Tear Us Apart Again

"Talking"

'Thinking'

_Lyrics_

* * *

_When the routine bites hard _

_And ambitions are low_

_And the resentment rides high_

_But emotions won't grow_

_And we're changing our ways,_

_Taking different roads_

_Then love, love will tear us apart again_

* * *

Meryl stood in front of Knives and Miki while she watched this new werecat slowly stalk towards her. She knew that having Knives at her back wasn't the best option in the world, but he seemed the lesser of the two evils at this point. She narrowed her eyes and noticed that the werecat was already in her halfway form.

'I can feel the heaviness of heart,' the unknown cat said as she took delight in talking privately to Meryl.

'How dare you invade my mind?' Meryl hissed.

'Are you trying to steer off subject?' The cat asked.

Meryl growled and the Knives watched for the first time in amazement as the fur grew out from her skin. He heard a sickening crack and knew she was changing shape. He just imagined the bones reconfiguring and knew why her body regenerated so fast. He steered his sister away from Meryl and turned her face away from the scene. Meryl's height increased as her fingers cracked and grew another inch. Knives looked down and watched her feet grow out and reconfigure until they were bent backwards. Meryl now stood at five foot seven with her claws itching for blood and her fangs ready for a fight.

* * *

It had been five hours of driving and Rei had finally stopped running. The sun didn't look like it was about to rise, but there was a light in the distance. Wolfwood removed his sunglasses and looked off into the distance.

"What do you think it is?" Milly asked as she looked over his shoulder.

"Honey, I think it's our welcome party," Wolfwood said.

Rei stood up on all fours and made a grunting noise like he agreed. Milly looked down and smiled as Wolfwood put his glasses back on. She snuggled back into his back and prepared herself to set off again. Rei looked off into the distance and started to run off into the distance. He only took off at top speed when he was sure the others could keep up.

* * *

Vash gazed at Meryl from his spot. He knew he was down wind from Meryl because she hadn't caught his scent yet. He had witnessed her first transformation. He was stunned beyond all belief. He couldn't help but feel all the emotions he felt for her, towards her leak out. He started to walk down the dune towards her, but was stopped when Hotaru grabbed his arm. Vash looked to his left and saw that Hotaru had taken his human shape.

"You'll get in the way," Hotaru said as if it explained everything.

"What's going on?" Vash asked as he now saw the other werecat standing only a few feet away.

"Dominance." Hotaru said without looking away from the scene.

Vash narrowed his eyes at Hotaru and pulled away. He took off running down the dune towards Meryl.

* * *

_Why is the bedroom so cold  
turned away on your side?  
Is my timing that flawed,  
our respect run so dry?  
Yet there's still this appeal_

_That we've kept through our lives  
Love, love will tear us apart again_

_

* * *

_

Knives finally was fed up with this freak as he now deemed. He pushed his sister behind him. He then stepped up next to Meryl and made his presence known. Meryl sniffed the air and could clearly smell Knives next to her. She then caught the faint scent of Vash. Her eyes cleared and showed confusion, she then shrugged it off as it just being Knives.

"Who are you?" Knives demanded as he arrogantly stood next to Meryl. The werecat just smirked.

"Arrogance will not intimidate me, Knives Millions," she said.

"How do you know my name?" Knives asked.

Meryl could smell the nervousness coming off Knives and decided that it was time to take him out of the game.

"It's a shame your such a coward," she said.

"How dare you judge me!" Knives yelled.

"Sorry Knives," Meryl said as she back handed him and sent him flying into the jeep. Miki screamed and ran toward Knives and watched as the breathing was even.

"So who are you really?" Meryl asked as if she didn't care.

"You are one like me, so I shall tell you Meryl," the werecat said.

"Please, please grace me," Meryl said.

The werecat's eyes narrowed and she answered, "I am Akujin."

"Akujin ... what do you want with us?" Meryl asked.

"The elders think you're a threat," Akujin said.

"What?" Meryl asked, letting the confusion show.

"You are new to the clan. That **fool **Jesse did not teach you the proper ways," Akujin said.

"What ways?" Meryl said.

"I challenge you," Akujin said as she let her sweet voice turn the word challenge into something sacred.

"I won't fight you," Meryl said.

"It is to late, because we have already begun," Akujin said as closed her eyes and sent a blow towards Meryl.

Meryl screamed as she felt the pressure build in her head. She fell to her knees and saw images of Vash flash before her, except he was dead. She opened her eyes and saw fangs coming towards her. Meryl threw her arm up and screamed as she felt the fangs sink into her arm. She felt her own blood rush down her arms and that's when she realized Akujin was bathing in her pain. Meryl let her eyes flash gray in anger. She then dug her claws into Akujin's stomach. Akujin hissed and pulled back.

"It's amazing how you know nothing," Akujin said.

* * *

_Do you cry out in your sleep  
all my failings expose?_

_

* * *

_

Meryl's eyes glowed and she charged Akujin. She missed her and Akujin jumped to where Meryl was standing. She grinned as she saw the realization on Meryl's face show. Akujin spun around and grabbed Vash by the throat. She threw him to the ground and held her claws a breathe away from the main vein. Meryl went to step closer and she pressed her claw closer to his throat.

"One more move and will have a bloodbath," Akujin threatened.

Meryl froze and refused to move. Akujin grinned when she saw Meryl would play it safe.

"Let him go," Meryl said as she watched Vash cough up blood.

"Remember whose throat I hold. One scratch and he's like us if he survives," Akujin said as she bent down and lick the blood off his cheek. Vash tried to push away, but Akujin held him by his hair.

* * *

_Get a taste in my mouth  
as desperation takes hold_

_

* * *

_

"Please," Meryl begged as she panicked.

"Why do you insist on playing with your food?" Akujin asked.

"Vash is **not** food," Meryl growled as she saw a picture of Vash clawed flash through her mind.

"He is lower on the food chain. He is nothing but a sex toy or food to our people," Akujin growled.

"No! He's nothing like that. He's living and deserves life," Meryl said as the tears began to grow.

"Did you know that you're damned if you ever taste his blood?" Akujin asked with a cruel grin.

"I will **never** taste his blood," Meryl strongly said.

"Even if he was dead, and all you had was the blood? His blood would always keep him with you," Akujin sickly asked.

"I would let him go," Meryl said.

Akujin threw Vash to the side and raised her claws. She made slits down her arms and legs. She then laughed as she let her bloody hands trail down Vash's face. When she looked up at Meryl she could see the revulsion and the fury. She shuddered in anticipation and delight.

"Did you know that if you taste the blood of the damn, you'd become damned?" Akujin asked.

* * *

_Is it something so good  
just can't function no more?_

_

* * *

_

Meryl growled and took a step forward and her eyes glowed gray with power. Akujin's eyes widened in disbelief and slight fear. She could see that Meryl had lost herself to her beast. Vash slowly pushed himself up and tried to speak, but his windpipe was still damaged.

Meryl charged at Akujin and hit a barrier of energy. The pain shocked her and caused cuts along her body. She drew back her arm and plunged her arm through the barrier. Akujin stepped back in shock and the barrier broke. Meryl threw Akujin to the ground and shoved her claws through her shoulder. She could feel the bone and desperately tried to break through it.

"Meryl," Vash gasped as he watched the scene.

Akujin punched Meryl in the face and screamed as the claws came out. She transformed into her human form and ran towards Vash. Vash tried to back away but could only watch as time slowed down. He could see Akujin in the air diving madly towards him. He looked to his and saw the giant shape of a Marozi come from the side. Time then came back and with a sickening crunch the Marozi took Akujin's body to the side. Vash felt the blood from Akujin's body hit his already blood crusted face. He heard a final scream and a roar and closed his eyes knowing that it was over.

* * *

_When love, love will tear us apart again_

* * *

Meryl dropped the body from her mouth and gazed down at its lifeless eyes. She then knew something else had to be done. She put the head in her mouth and closed her jaws letting everything splatter. She spit it out as best as she could and roared out into the night with instinct that something important had just happened. She went back into her human form and fell to the ground in a fetal position. She started to cry and laugh so hard, she went into hysterics. She felt hands on her shoulders pull her into a gentle hug and knew by the scent that it wasn't anyone she knew.

The scent of this other male let her know that it was over and she had some how done the right thing. She cried harder knowing that it was not Vash that held her. She cried for the guards that she had to scare, she cried for Knives and what she had to do, and she cried for herself knowing that she was now damned and broke the rule that Jesse had laid down.

* * *

This update seems so short, it just doesn't satisfy me for a chapter (sigh)

Please review and tell me what you all think about it. 'o'


	12. Carousel

I don't own the song or anything.

* * *

Carousel

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

_Flashbacks and Lyrics_

* * *

_She can't hide no matter how hard she tries  
_

_her secret disguised behind the lies  
_

_and at night she cries away her pride  
_

_with eyes shut tight staring at her inside  
_

_all her friends know why she can't sleep at night  
_

_all her family asking is she alright  
_

_all she wants to do is get rid of this hell  
_

_well all she's got to do is stop kiddin herself_

__

_She can only fool herself for so long _

_She can only fool herself for so long _

_She can only fool herself for so long_

_   
  
I'm too weak to face me_

(she can only fool herself)__

* * *

Meryl had been sitting on the dessert dune for a day now. She had found that Hotaru was Jesse's younger brother. She didn't know if they were related, but she really didn't care. She would gaze at Vash's back and began to notice that he wouldn't meet her gaze. She was beginning to feel very isolated. Hotaru had explained that Akujin was one of the elder's servants. Meryl listened to Hotaru explain the customs and the way things worked around the area.

"When you meet the elders you'll find that Hatcher will be challenging you in implied ways," Hotaru explained. Meryl nodded and continued to stare off into the sand. She then continued to just listen to Hotaru explain the ways of the werecat.

"Hotaru, I'm not up for lessons," Meryl said as she stood and walked back to where the rock was.

She sat underneath the rock and let that night haunt her. She closed her eyes and buried her face in between her knees.

'No wonder he's not meeting my gaze,' Meryl thought as she remembered grabbing Akujin's body in mid air. She sighed and thought about what she could do, but then realized that there was nothing.

'If I knew things would change this much, I wouldn't have changed anything,' Meryl thought as she fiddled with her. She then lay on her side and sniffed the air and found that Vash was farther then he looked. She could see Miki walking towards her, that left Knives wandering wherever he chose to go.

"It isn't your fault," Miki softly said as she sat next Meryl.

Meryl sat up and gave and short dry laugh. Miki just shook her head and decided to try talking some more.

"You did what you had to do," Miki carefully said.

"I know that, but it was ether her or Vash. And I choose Vash to live," Meryl said as she fixed her shirt.

"Does he know that?" Miki asked.

"How could he not? It's not like I kill people everyday," Meryl said with a bit of anger.

"If Vash doesn't know you did all this for him, then he's a fool," Miki said as she looked out towards Vash.

"It's just not the problem with Vash, it's that I'm now damned," Meryl sorrowfully said.

"What do you mean?" Miki asked.

"When I die, I won't be able to enter heaven, and if I don't enter hell I'll be forced to wander the earth," Meryl explained.

"It's not something you can help now, but you can try and live life while you're alive," Miki said before she got up and walked away. Meryl growled before she looked over at Vash to see Knives punch him across the face. She watched as Knives said something and walked away from him.

* * *

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

* * *

Knives was sitting out away from his brother and the crying girl. He eventually got tired at night of hearing Meryl's sobs of sorrow. He could practically feel her dejection radiating off in waves. So, during the night he moved away from the campsite. He even was nice and buried Akujin's body so Meryl wouldn't be triggered to cry again. Knives may have not been fond of humans, but Meryl wasn't a normal human. Knives had tried to even talk to Meryl. She had just whispered 'Vash' and turned away when she realized it wasn't him.

Knives was now going to talk Vash about this silent treatment and demand that this situation be fixed. He ironically laughed when he realized that he was trying to fix his brother's relationship with a human. He realized that he had to get through to Vash to set things right.

'Vash,' Knives thought as he walked headed for his twin.

Knives growled when Vash made no move to respond to him. Knives pulled Vash by his shoulder and turned him around so he could face him. Vash's face was stoic and Knives almost twitched ... almost.

"Damn it Vash! Answer me," Knives demanded as he glared at his twin.

"What do you want?" Vash coldly asked.

"I want to know why you're sitting your sorry ass out here in pity," Knives calmly said as he stood with his hands at his side.

"Since when have you cared?" Vash madly asked.

"I have always cared about you! I may have showed it in the wrong ways," Knives yelled.

"All you've ever cared about is killing every damn spider!" Vash yelled.

Knives growled and balled his fist so he could swing at Vash. Vash turned his head and felt the fist connect with his jaw. Vash fell to the ground and looked up at Knives. Knives towered over Vash and pointed a finger at him.

"Stop being so damn angry like a coward and do something about it!" Knives yelled.

"What am I supposed to do?" Vash asked.

"Be a man and go over and tell Meryl that you're not disgusted by her. Assure her or you're going to end up losing her," Knives growled as he turned away and left Vash stunned.

'What's wrong with Meryl?' Vash thought to Knives.

'Can't you feel her sorrow?' Knives asked as he shut their link off.

* * *

_When it comes to how to live his life he can't be told  
_

_says he got it all under control  
___

_thinks he knows it's not a problem he's stuck with_

__

_but in reality it would be a problem to just quit  
___

_an addict and he can't hold the reins  
_

_the pain is worse cause his friends have it the same_

_tries to slow down the problem he's got  
_

_but can't get off the carousel until he makes it stop  
_

_He can only fool himself for so long _

_He can only fool himself for so long _

_He can only fool himself for so long_

_I'm too weak to face me_

_(He can only fool himself)_

* * *

Vash began to walk towards Meryl and he noticed that her eyes were close and that her face had tear streaks. He then smiled when he noticed that her tail was twitching. He sat down in front of her and noticed that her eyes were now open. He nervously smiled when he saw her face look shocked. She sat up and met his aqua gaze.

"What do you want?" Meryl asked and winced when she realized how harsh she sounded.

"I just wanted to know how you're doing," Vash said as he rubbed his arm nervously.

'Just tell her how you feel, she deserves the truth,' Knives said as he opened the link again.

"I don't feel as guilty. I know that I couldn't let you die, so I made the choice," Meryl said as she let the sand slide through her hands.

"You did what you did and I owe you my life because of it," Vash said as he pulled Meryl into his arms.

"I feel like such a murderer," Meryl said as she sobbed.

"You did it to save Miki, Knives, and me," Vash said.

"It just doesn't seem like things will be the same."

* * *

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

* * *

Meryl pushed out of Vash's arms and started to crawl away from him. Vash looked confused and hurt as he moved after Meryl. Meryl held her hand out and made Vash stop.

"I have to go," Meryl frantically said as she started running again.

"Why? Where are you going?" Vash asked as he stood and began to run after her.

"Please, you can't follow me," Meryl begged as she began to run.

"Damn it, stop!" Vash yelled as he ran faster.

He caught up to her and tackled her to the ground. She growled and pushed tried to push him away. He held onto to her and she pulled at his hair.

"If you stay with me you'll die," Meryl cried.

"I refuse to be away from you, again," Vash said as she froze and stopped struggling.

* * *

_Fly with me under the wings I gave you_

_Try to be closer to me and I'll save you_

_Try to be close to me and I'll save you_

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

_I never know just why you run so far away, far away from me_

* * *

I have an idea of where I want to take the chapter.

How many people want a Vash and Meryl fight. Please review.


	13. Clans

I don't own Trigun.

A/N!!!! This story will be coming to an end. I think I'll have only one more chapter to write and then it's finished.

Clans

"Talking"

'Thinking'

**Stressed Words**

The desert was cold this night and their travel had come to an end. Wolfwood and Milly stared at the cave that had torches lit up to where they were standing. Wolfwood got of his bike and helped Milly. Rei transformed back into his human form and sighed as he stared at his homeland.

"Is this it?" Wolfwood asked as he stared at the cave.

"Yes, this is where the elders live and the werecats of Gunsmoke meet every month," Rei explained as he sniffed the air.

"Why's it so quiet?" Milly asked.

"I smell death," Rei said as he growled.

"Something isn't right," Wolfwood said as he reached for a gun.

"Don't take out any weapons," Rei warned.

"Why not?" Wolfwood asked in disbelief.

"Because, you would be threatening them and as long as you don't do that we're safe," Rei said as he walked to the first torch.

"Welcome," a sinisterly calm voice said from the darkness of the cave.

"I don't think this man's good," Milly whispered to Wolfwood.

"I think you're right," Wolfwood said back as he watched the figure take form.

* * *

Meryl pulled out of Vash's arms and stared at Vash's shocked face. She was confused and didn't know whether to slap the man silly or love him to death. She sat down in front of him and took his hand.

'He still doesn't know that I'm damned,' Meryl thought as she looked up and into his aqua eyes.

"I know we can work past any barrier there is left," Vash assured.

"Vash, I have a question," Meryl stated as she finally made a choice.

"Ask away," Vash said.

"Have you ever thought about your soul and where it will go once you die?" Meryl asked.

* * *

"Who are you?" Wolfwood demanded to know.

"I am Hatcher, the third elder of the council," he introduced.

"Hi, I'm Milly Thompson and this is Nicholas Wolfwood and Rei," Milly happily introduced.

"I know all about Rei," Hatcher said as he used his claw hand to push his black hair behind his face.

"We are friends of Meryl and want to know what you want," Wolfwood stated as he ignored the looks Hatcher gave Rei.

"The elders sent Hotaru to tell her that she is to be pack leader since Jesse is ... gone," Hatcher.

"Where are the other elder's?" Rei asked.

"With Jesse," Hatcher answered as three male werecats grabbed the trio.

"You lying bastard! You killed them like my parents!" Rei yelled as tears threatened to fall.

Hatcher slapped Rei across the face and growled, "Attitude like that is what got your parents killed and as for the elders, they had an accident."

"Why?" Wolfwood asked.

"Because I was to be the pack leader!" Hatcher yelled as the trio was taken away.

* * *

Vash could say he was more than shocked at Meryl's question. The truth was he never thought about death until the hair darkening effect came into play.

"I don't know," Vash honestly answered.

"Vash ... I love you."

"That's all we need is love!" Vash yelled as he made his 'victory' sign.

"NO!" Meryl yelled as Vash stared at her curled up form.

"What is it?" Vash asked.

"I can't burden you with this," Meryl whispered as she looked into his pained face.

"You'll never be a burden," Vash softly said to her.

"I know my soul is going to a place you can't follow," Meryl said.

* * *

"Aw hell," Wolfwood muttered as he kicked the cell bars.

"Honey, sit down," Milly said.

"But we're in a prison!" Wolfwood mumbled.

"She's right, all you can do is sit and wait. Besides, there are more werecats out in the darkness," Rei said.

"Can't we just shoot em?" Wolfwood asked.

"Are your bullets silver?" Rei asked.

"No," Wolfwood muttered.

"Just relax, Meryl and Vash will come to rescue us," Milly happily said. "Plus we don't want to upset our host by leaving our guest rooms."

Wolfwood and Rei's sweat dropped as they laughed nervously.

* * *

Vash stared at Meryl. He was confused and not liking it one bit. Meryl sighed and looked away. He used her chin to make her look up at him.

"What do you mean?" Vash asked.

"I mean that my soul will forever roam the earth once I die," Meryl uttered.

Vash swore his heart stopped beating when he heard this. He squeezed her hand gently and smiled, which confused her.

"Then we have to make sure you won't die," Vash said as he hugged her.

"Everything dies, nothing's forever," Meryl whispered.

"We have to make sure this will be," Vash said as he held her close and kissed her forehead.

"No, reality must be faced, because I refuse to live in some fake world," Meryl said."

Vash was about to speak when Hotaru walked up to the group. Miki and Knives were in the jeep and prepared to leave. Meryl looked at them confused.

"What's wrong?" Meryl asked.

"We have to go to Rei, now." Hotaru said.

"Are Milly and Nick alright?" Vash asked.

"I don't know, but something is wrong," Hotaru said as he pointed in the direction they needed to go.

"What is it?" Meryl asked again letting the panic show.

"My elder that I served is dead and I fear it has something to do with Hatcher," Hotaru explained.

"Why would Milly and Nicholas be there?" Meryl asked as she glared at Vash.

"They went to see the elders while we came to help you," Vash said.

* * *

"Are you enjoying your stay?" A werecat asked as she sat by the bars.

"Lord help me, there's a talking cat," Wolfwood mumbled as he put his cigarette out. The cat hissed and went over to Rei.

"They will be coming any minuet now," the cat purred.

"What does this have to do with them?" Rei demanded as he pointed to Milly and Nick.

"Nothing, they are just bait," the cat said before she stalked away.

"Then just let them go," Rei whispered.

"It is not my decision," the cat whispered back.

* * *

Meryl's left eye twitched before she smacked Vash and Hotaru.

"Ow!" Vash whined as he rubbed his cheek. Knives laughed and Meryl slapped him too.

"What the hell was that for?" Knives demanded to know.

"For laughing at other's pain!" Meryl growled, but she then gave her attention to a nervous Vash.

"They wanted to go!" Vash defended.

"Why?" Meryl asked.

"They wanted to know what the elders wanted and to see if they could remove this collar," Vash said as he glared at Knives'.

"This?" Meryl asked as she tore the collar off to only shock Knives.

"How?" Knives said.

"Do you think something this puny could hold a superior being?" Meryl mocked. Knives growled and faced the opposite direction and drove again.

"So, what's Hatcher?" Vash asked.

"Hatcher is a who," Hotaru began.

* * *

Rei stood up as they watched the group of cats cleared away. A female cat stepped out of the shadows and began to unlock the doors to the cages.

"What are you doing?" Rei demanded to know.

"I'm doing my **master's** bidding," she answered as she let the step out.

She then began to walk up the stairs and away from them. It seemed like a light followed her as she walked. She stopped walking and looked out of the corner of her eye at them.

"Stay down here if you want to be food," the woman warned as she started to walk. The surrounding groups of werecats growled and Rei pushed the couple quickly up the stairs.

"She doesn't seem to bad," Milly whispered to Wolfwood.

They arrived in a darkened room that was lit with nothing but candles, and a pit of fire. They looked to the left and saw a throne that was covered by a white blanket. Milly looked over into the pit of fire and gasped when she saw what looked like a bone. Wolfwood turned his head away and pulled Milly behind him. Rei only sniffed and blew out the smell of death as quickly as he could. The woman walked over to the throne and kneeled.

"I have brought them, master," she said.

"I trust that the other's are coming," Hatcher asked.

"Yes, they are," she confirmed.

"Very good Isis," Hatcher said as he stood and walked towards the group.

"What are you planning?" Wolfwood asked.

"All will be revealed when they arrive," Hatcher said.

"GIVE ME BACK REI AND MILLY!" Meryl yelled as she stomped through the room and into the light.

"That was fast," Isis said.

"What about me?" Wolfwood dejectedly asked.

"Yeah, and him too!" Vash yelled while he nervously scratched the back of his head.

Hatcher smiled when he saw Meryl step into the light. Knives stood in front of his sister and to the right side of Vash.

"So, good of you to join us, Princess," Hatcher sneered as he watched confusion spread on the other's faces.

"What?" Meryl asked.

"Of course you don't remember," Hatcher said.

"All I want is my friends. I don't care about anything else," Meryl said.

Rage filled Hatcher's face as he stepped into the light and ripped off his shirt to show the same exact birthmark.

"You see Meryl, you and I are off the same bloodlines," Hatcher said.

"How?" Meryl asked.

"You see my brother Jesse, was about to die when he sired a new heir to the clans. I would have been leader if you weren't around!" He yelled as he pointed at her.

"Sorry," Meryl mumbled.

"The only way I can ever have the throne is if I challenge you," Hatcher said.

"But you won't, will you?" Meryl asked as realization dawned on her. "You're to weak, even if I'm still new."

"Shut up!" He growled. "If you want your friends to live you'll step down."

"You can't!" Hotaru pleaded.

"Why?" Meryl asked.

"He'll kill our people," Hotaru said.

"Step down," Hatcher growled.

"Let my friends go and I'll fight you without changing," Meryl offered.

"You can't," Vash said.

"I have to, else everyone dies," Meryl said as she looked up at him.

"I refuse to leave you," Vash said. Meryl looked into his eyes before she nodded her head and looked away.

"I challenge you Hatcher. These are my only terms," Meryl said.

"Challenge accepted."

"Wolfwood, please take Milly, Rei, and Miki with you," Meryl said before Milly could protest.

"How will I-"

"I'll send Hotaru back with news," Meryl said as she turned back to Hatcher.

"This will be a fight to the death," Hatcher said.

"I'll make sure this other cat woman doesn't try anything," Knives said as he glared at her.

"The rules are simple," Hotaru began, "There will be no interference and instant death is declared will the opponent is unconscious."

* * *

Hatcher transformed and lunged at Meryl, quickly slashing at her throat. She fell backwards and crawled away from his enraged form. She cursed and rolled out of the way and picked up a spear. She knew the tip wasn't silver. She jammed it into his stomach and he smacked her away. Her neck twisted left and Vash pulled out his gun ready to interfere.

"If you interfere, we all die," Hotaru warned.

Knives shivered when he felt the energy rise in the room. He could see that Isis was becoming excited when she saw the blood come from Meryl's mouth. Hatcher pulled the spear out and broke it in two. He tossed it to the side and went over to Meryl's limp form. He then stood over her and roared in her face. He went to tear out her throat when he stumbled backwards.

Meryl cracked her neck and grinned when she kicked him in the balls. Vash winced and watched as Meryl got up and ran towards Vash. She pushed him out of the way and dodged Hatcher again. When he went to snap at her he froze. He stared down the barrel of the gun and growled.

"Eat silver," Meryl growled as she pulled the trigger. He instantly fell over dead and she smirked as she dropped the silver gun. She blew on her smoking hand and yelped when she felt arms squeeze her.

"Queen Meryl," Hotaru said as he bowed.

"Queen," Knives laughed as he watched Isis drop to her hands and knees in front of Meryl.

"Please forgive me my lady," Isis pleaded.

"Isis, I know that you're not to blame. Now go free your people and tell them all is right," Meryl said.

Isis eagerly nodded and ran out of the room. Vash kissed Meryl on the lips only to be interrupted by Hotaru.

"You must toss his body in the flames," Hotaru said. Meryl nodded and picked up the body like it was a feather. She then tossed it in the fire and smiled as she ran back to Vash and kissed him.

"Disgusting," Knives mumbled as he walked out of the cave and towards Wolfwood's Motorcycle.

Meryl happily giggled before she turned around to meet the eyes of dozens of werecats. She counted sixty werecats and was shocked to watch them bow.

"Well, I guess I'm a queen," Meryl said before she and Vash sighed.

* * *

This is not the last chapter, there is only one chapter left!!!


	14. The Setting Sun

A/N: These updates are fast because I enjoy writing Trigun, but I want to finish it so I can get started on my new Fic. It will be an Inuyasha Fic that is A/U

Only one chapter left!!!

I don't own Trigun

* * *

The Setting Sun

"Talking"

'Thinking'

_Flashbacks _

**Stressed Words**

* * *

It had been a week since the killing of Akujin and Hatcher. Meryl had made a decision to put Hotaru and Isis in charge of the pack order. Meryl still was having problems, but the pack accepted her as the leader and things were looking up. Meryl could now walk around with her tail showing since everyone knew what and who she is. She was proud and had even a few tricks that Vash liked to watch her do with her tail. She adopted Rei as her child by pack and human law so he wouldn't have to be alone again.

Wolfwood and Milly had left the house that morning so they could go back to the orphanage. Meryl had found out from Knives that Wolfwood was planning to propose. Knives had 'accidentally' read his mind. Miki was having a wonderful time playing with the human children. She was always happy to show Knives the wonders of life. Knives wasn't so genocidal anymore. He only complained of wanting to kill the idiot baker for putting jelly in his donut. Knives still wanted to work on freeing his sisters, but it was hard to do when most of them didn't want to be free.

Vash had been working on making a windmill to run must houses instead of plants. Knives had made a battery that would store solar power. It would run and recharge during the day. The problem was, finding materials to make these things. Metal was scarce to come by and real wood was expensive. Vash now sat outside in the jeep with one of the newest solar batteries. He was planning on using it for the orphanage.

"Bye Vash, bye Rei!" Meryl yelled as they drove off towards the orphanage.

Meryl smiled and went back inside the house. It was there that she saw Miki staring at a black cat.

"Why is that cat sleeping on the table?" Meryl asked.

"He's tired," Miki said as she poked the cat.

"Meow," the cat yawned. Meryl rolled her eyes and went into the front room. She then lay on the couch with a sigh. She waited five minuets before she got the feeling of someone watching her. She sniffed the air and could smell Knives. She could easily tell that he was by the door.

"What do you want Knives?" Meryl asked without opening her eyes.

"I want a fight," Knives seriously said.

"Are you serious?" Meryl asked as she sat up.

"Deadly," Knives replied as he sat away from her.

"Why?" Meryl said.

"I want to see which species is stronger," Knives answered.

"I refuse to fight," Meryl said.

"If you don't, I'll kill everyone," Knives threatened. Meryl growled and stood up to face him. She was inches away when she clearly warned him.

"Do not bring **my** family into this!"

"Then fight me!" He challenged.

"You want a fight? I'll fight you on two conditions," Meryl said.

"What?" Knives asked with eagerness.

"One, you never kill again and two, you will learn to accept humans," Meryl said.

"What if I win?" Knives asked.

"Two conditions," Meryl replied.

"You will be mine to do as I please and two, you will show my brother that humans are worthless," Knives said.

"I agree if this match has no death," Meryl said.

"Then it's agreed," Knives said.

"I want you to take out your silver bullets," Meryl said.

"I want you to make sure you don't infect me," Knives replied as he changed bullets. They then walked over to an open part of the desert.

"Where did you get you gun?" Meryl asked.

"Vash's closet," Knives said.

'Let's hope he doesn't use angel arms,' Meryl grimly thought.

* * *

Meryl watched as Knives stoically stood there in place waiting to fire his weapon. She knew that Knives would not kill her; it was just the point of making sure she didn't go into a rage and kill him. Knives was a plant of his word. She threw her brush into the air and knew that once it hit the ground they would fight. This fight would hopefully make Knives see that humans aren't that weak. The brush hit the ground and she ran as fast as she could. She could see the bullet go by.

"Why are you running?" Knives asked.

"Oh, it could be because getting hit with a bullet hurts," Meryl said as she kicked him in the knees. He dropped the gun and went face first into the ground. He cursed and ruled over and picked up the gun again. His face paled when he saw the woman in front of him.

"Rem?" He whispered as he shook.

"Knives, are you okay?" She asked as she moved forward.

"You're dead!" Knives yelled as he backed away.

Meryl looked confused and took a step forward only to have him back away two steps. She asked him a question and he yelled at her.

"Knives, what did you do?" Meryl asked as concerned came over her.

"I killed you all!" Knives yelled.

'He thinks I'm Rem,' Meryl thought.

"I made sure your ship blew up! Why do you haunt me?" Knives asked.

That's when Meryl saw it. She saw that Knives was still that same little boy who was still hurt and hiding under the covers from his nightmares.

"Knives, why did you do it?" Meryl asked him. Knives fell to his knees and had a tear down his face.

"Because you broke your promise! You'd said you protect me from him!" Knives accused as betrayal showed on his features.

"I'm sorry," Meryl whispered as she stepped forward and pulled Knives into a hug. She let a few tears slip out when she heard the older man's tears.

"He beat me so bad," Knives cried.

"Ssh, he can't get you anymore, I'll protect you," Meryl promised as she rocked him back and forth.

"Why didn't you come?" Knives barely whispered.

"I'm so sorry," Meryl whispered.

"I didn't mean to kill you," Knives whispered.

"I know," Meryl whispered.

"I only wanted to protect Vash," Knives said.

"I won't say it's okay that you killed us, because it's not. If you want to protect your brother you have to grow and live with him," Meryl said.

"Why?" Knives asked.

"You have to promise me you'll live and grow with your brother," Meryl sternly said.

"I promise," Knives said as he closed his eyes.

"Thank you, now please sleep," Meryl said as she picked him up and carried him.

Knives silently obeyed and fell asleep. Meryl sighed and put him in his own bed hoping that he would keep his promise not to hurt anyone else. She laid him down and left him alone after tucking him in. She then went out and got his gun and put it away so he wouldn't be able to find it.

"I heard gunfire," Miki said as she came into the kitchen.

"Knives wanted a fight and we fought," Meryl answered as she licked a cut on her arm clean.

"Are you both okay?" She asked as she looked at Meryl.

"Yeah, but Knives is mentally tired," Meryl answered as she began to run water.

"Will he be okay," Miki asked.

"I think things in general will be okay," Meryl said as she watched the sunset.

Meryl then walked outside to see Vash and the group back from the orphanage. She ran and Vash hugged her as he cradled her against his chest. Milly then hugged Meryl and showed her the ring that Wolfwood gave her.

"I'm engaged!" Milly happily said as she hugged Meryl. Meryl smiled and shook Wolfwood's hand.

"Congratulations," Meryl said as she looked at Vash. Vash smiled at her and they twined their fingers together and kissed each other.

"When's the wedding, broom head?" Wolfwood asked as punched Vash in the shoulder.

"Whenever Meryl's ready, because we have eternity," Vash said.

"The law of the clan's, states that the queen needs to be mated in about a month," Rei mumbled as he looked away.

"What?" Meryl asked as her face turned red.

"Let's get to it," Vash happily said as he grabbed her around the waist and took off running into the house.

* * *

The End

I hope you all liked the ending. I left the ending like this so you all could put in what's going to happen. Thank you all for reviewing.


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